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."