• Chairman Bill Kenwright denies approving the move • 'I would fight tooth and nail to keep our manager'

This article is more than 10 years old

This article is more than 10 years old

Everton's chairman, Bill Kenwright, has "laughed off" speculation that manager David Moyes is poised to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.

Moyes last week described as "nonsense" reports that he was being lined up to take over at Old Trafford when his long-serving fellow Scot eventually decides to step down. Kenwright is equally unimpressed and is determined the 47-year-old, who recently celebrated eight years in charge at Everton, should stay at Goodison Park.

Kenwright told the Liverpool Echo: 'It's absolute nonsense to infer that we would let David depart for Manchester United with our blessing.

"If a day like that ever did occur, Evertonians know that I would fight tooth and nail to keep our manager where he belongs.

"Everyone will have read both David Moyes and Alex Ferguson's comments and what they both describe as typical summer speculation madness. David Gill [United chief executive] and I have a similar friendship to David and Alex Ferguson, and we too have laughed it off."