Barcelona legend Xavi denies giving interview to The Sun in which he 'claimed' Manchester City want Dele Alli

The World Cup winner has told SPORT he "never" spoke to the tabloid

Fromer Barcelona captain Xavi Hernandez has denied claims attached to him (AP)

FC Barcelona legend Xavi claims he never spoke to The Sun for an interview published in the tabloid on Tuesday.

The 37-year-old, who is now playing in Qatar with Al-Sadd, was quoted as saying Manchester City wanted to sign Dele Alli in a world-record deal.

“I speak with Pep, and I know he thinks it is important to sign English players.

“I am sure in the summer he will look also across Europe for players to improve the squad, but also I expect him to look in The Premier League as well," were just a couple of lines Xavi was purported to have told the News UK title.

However the former Barca midfielder has told Spanish daily SPORT that he has not spoken with any English newspaper and did not give this interview.

"Never" he told them.

Xavi's reported quotes were put to Mauricio Pochettino in Tuesday's press conference, with the Tottenham manager jokingly referring to the World Cup winner as his "enemy."

The Sun have recently been banned by Liverpool Football Club, over their reporting of the Hillsborough disaster, and now Everton for a recent column on Ross Barkley that contained racially-insulting language.

Tranmere Rovers and Chester City have joined their neighbours in expelling the tabloid.