Mino Raiola has denied offering Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan to Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola during the January transfer window.

Ahead of Saturday's derby the Catalan claimed Raiola had given City the chance to take two of his most high-profile clients from rivals Manchester United.

"Two months ago [he] offered me Mkhitaryan and Pogba to play with us," Guardiola told a media conference on Friday.

It came as a surprise given a frosty relationship between the pair that is said to be down to Raiola believing Guardiola forced Zlatan Ibrahimovic out of Barcelona in 2010.

But Raiola has denied having any contact with the City boss over either Pogba or Mkhitaryan.

"I never spoke to Pep Guardiola," he told BBC Sport. "I would not speak to him about players; I would speak to Manchester City.

"They are a fantastic club with a fantastic manager."

A deal for Pogba would have been a huge shock midway through the Premier League season, particularly with the latter having set United back £89million in August 2016, which was then a world record.

Mkhitaryan left for Arsenal in a swap for Alexis Sanchez in January.

Say what? - Pogba reacts to being 'offered' to Man City by Raiola

Paul Pogba reacted to Pep Guardiola's claim Mino Raiola offered him to Manchester City in January in humorous fashion.

Just a day before the Manchester derby, Guardiola made the astonishing claim in his pre-match news conference that Raiola - Pogba's agent - offered the Frenchman to City in January.

Pogba has endured a rocky season at Manchester United, with Jose Mourinho's handling of him leading to reports of a rift between the pair.

But Guardiola's assertion came as a shock and will undoubtedly be one of the main talking points ahead of the derby at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, when City can clinch the Premier League title with a win.

The news appears to have taken Pogba by surprise, as evidenced by his reaction on social media, posting a picture of himself cupping his ear with the caption: "Say what?"

Pogba signed for United from Juventus in August 2016 for an £89million fee that was a world record at the time.

Although Guardiola claims to have been offered Pogba, as well as his former United team-mate Henrikh Mkhitarya, by Raiola, he also insisted he said no because the 25-year-old would have been too expensive.

Pogba will be expected to play in midfield for United on Saturday, having returned to Mourinho's starting XI for the 2-0 win over Swansea City.