Brazil international Lucas Lima is reported to have a pre-contract agreement with Barcelona. Charly Diaz Azcue/LatinContent/Getty Images

Santos have not made a complaint against Barcelona about any illegal approach for Lucas Lima, a spokesman for FIFA has told ESPN FC.

Barca have been linked with a move for Lima, who is out of contract at the end of the year, and sources have told ESPN Brasil that a pre-contract agreement has been reached ahead of a January transfer.

However, as the Brazil international's terms do not expire until Dec. 31 he is not permitted to hold talks with other clubs until July 1, when he enters the final six months of his deal.

Santos are reported to be angry after learning of a potential agreement between the midfielder and Barcelona, with some reports claiming they had taken the case to FIFA.

But a spokesman said: "We have not received any claim from Santos against Barcelona."

Lima, represented by the N&N consultancy company run by Neymar's father, is the latest player to be caught up in the middle of the fraactious relations between Santos and Barcelona.

Santos wanted Neymar to be banned for six months in 2015, accusing their former player of being in breach of his contract when negotiating his transfer to the Camp Nou.

In a further dispute between the clubs last year, Barca took legal action against Santos because they felt the Brazilian side did not comply with their preferential option to sign striker Gabriel Barbosa.

An agreement between the clubs in 2013 stipulated that Barca should have been permitted three days to evaluate whether they signed the forward once another club had made an offer, but Santos gave them just one day's notice before selling him to Inter Milan for €25 million.