Manchester United opted out of signing Serbian Adem Ljajic because of work permit issues, assistant manager Mike Phelan said .

United said they were no longer planning a bid for the 18-year-old Partizan midfielder, which had been estimated as worth £10 million.

"I don't think money is an issue," Phelan said.

"We made a tentative approach to getting a work permit and the word we got back from the Home Office was we couldn't get that through in time. Sometimes you can get work permits, other times you can't."

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