Computer hackers who launched an attack on Manchester United are holding the Red Devils to ransom for millions of pounds, according to a report.
Last week, the 20-time English champions confirmed that they had been hit by a cyber attack on their systems, which was described at the time as "sophisticated".
While the Premier League giants were praised for their handling of the hacking, the Daily Mail claims that the perpetrators are still in control of United's computer systems and are prepared to release sensitive information unless they are paid a hefty ransom.
However, the Red Devils are confident that fan data has not been impacted by the breach, saying in a statement: "Following the recent cyber attack on the club, our IT team and external experts secured our networks and have conducted forensic investigations.
"This attack was by nature disruptive, but we are not currently aware of any fan data being compromised. Critical systems required for matches to take place at Old Trafford remained secure and games have gone ahead as normal.
"The club will not be commenting on speculation regarding who may have been responsible for this attack or the motives behind it."
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men travel to Southampton on Sunday before they welcome French champions Paris Saint-Germain to Old Trafford in the Champions League next Wednesday.
Ben Knapton
