Blackpool manager Michael Appleton has dismissed reports that they have agreed the sell captain Alex Baptiste to Leicester City.
Appleton said he did not know of any such deal, which was first reported nationally last Friday, and added it had unsettled Baptiste.
Baptiste is out of contract at the end of the season but Appleton said they were not looking to sell the centre-back.
"It's a little bit naughty as far as I'm concerned," Appleton told the Blackpool Gazette.
"The first I heard about the whole thing was on television. Baps knows nothing about it, and as far as I'm aware it is total speculation.
"I'm not happy at all about how the news broke but what can you do?
"We try to be professional in what we do but we can't control what happens in the media.
"It's a compliment that the players and the football club are doing things right. But for that to happen the night before a game probably messed with the player's head.
"I have to say I thought Baps did well on Saturday, certainly from an attacking point of view.
"He got into some great positions but what went on wasn't helpful.
"Alex is a player we want to keep. He's captain of the club. Over the last few weeks he's been very good for us. It was a distraction we could have done without.
"Hopefully players linked with moves away are strong enough to put it all to one side and perform. To be fair, they do that here."
