Roberto Martínez has denied Leighton Baines has asked to be allowed to leave Everton and join Manchester United. The Everton manager refused to comment on a story that the Premier League champions, who had a £28m joint bid for the England left-back and Marouane Fellaini rejected last week, had returned with a £38m offer for the pair, but praised the professionalism of the two players after the Belgian's goal secured a 2-1 extra-time win over Stevenage in the Capital One Cup.

Baines was an unused substitute and Martínez, when asked if the defender had requested a move to Old Trafford, said: "No. You are going to get so many stories. The two players have been true professionals and that is what I want, players that are dedicated to the club and dedicated to the team. I am not going to entertain any rumours or speculation. At the moment I really feel for the game. We are concentrating on rumours too much. There is nothing to tell. If there is anything to tell, we will tell our fans straight away."

Martínez admitted he is leaving transfer negotiations to others but ignored talk of an improved offer from the former Everton manager, David Moyes. "There is nothing to comment," he said. "I don't want to be dealing with whatever is going on between clubs. I am concentrating on preparing the team for Cardiff [on Saturday]."

Fellaini, who was an extra-time substitute, earned Martínez's first victory as Everton manager to set up a third-round tie at Fulham and the Spaniard praised the midfielder for his decisive contribution.

He said: "What I love about Marouane is his understanding of the game. He got involved in the creative part of our game and he is someone with a real threat in the final third. When he gets into the final third, he puts real fear in the opposition and he gave us that cutting edge we had been missing."

Martínez has been linked with the Blackpool winger Tom Ince and added: "Tom is an outstanding footballer but [there is] nothing else [to say]. I think it is unfair to talk about players who are fighting to get points for other clubs."