Bundesliga side Hannover have told Celtic to forget about signing their Hungarian midfielder Szabolcs Huszti.
Celtic manager Gordon Strachan said last week that he hoped to open negotiations for a transfer in January.
However, coach Dieter Hecking, who is battling relegation, said: "We might loan out a few players once the transfer window merry-go-round starts.
"But there is on thing I can say for sure and that is that we will not sell Szabolcs Huszti."
Hannover chairman Martin Kind also believes the sale of Huszti, who is top scorer with three goals, could have an impact on their bid to avoid the drop.
"It would be the wrong decision if we let Szabolcs leave for a multi-million pound fee and then got relegated," he said.
"If an offer comes in for him, it is down to Hecking and our director of football Christian Hochstaetter to calculate his value as a player.
"And they will have to consider the question of how to replace him."
The 25-year-old is a free agent at the end of the season but Celtic are looking at bringing him in sooner.
"I wanted to keep that one quiet. But you can't keep any secrets in the world we live in," said Strachan.
"We've watched him a lot in the Bundesliga and official talks will begin in January.
"He has been on the radar for a while, but I won't know how the player feels about us until I meet him."
Huszti was linked with a move to Rangers in 2005 while a player at Ferencvaros.
However, his manager Csaba Laszlo, now at Hearts, advised the player that it was too early in his career to make the move to Scotland.
"I brought Huszti in to the Hungarian national team and to Ferencvaros," Laszlo told BBC Sport.
"He's a small guy, but very aggressive and he has a very good left foot.
"He plays on the left, but he has also played on the right for Hannover and as a striker for Hungary.
"In France with Metz he had a difficult time as they were fighting relegation, but in Hannover he is always in the first eleven."
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