Manchester City have issued a red card to agents and intermediaries aiming to cash in on their vast new wealth in the January transfer window.
Manager Mark Hughes insists they will only deal directly with the clubs involved when they come to do business and no-one else.
The Welshman is adamant Eastlands will not become a playground for those aiming to get rich quick.
Because of the financial muscle of owners the Abu Dhabi United Group, City have been linked with multi-million pound deals for players around the globe.
Hughes, however, has a clear statement for those intent on what he sees as mischief-making.
He said: "There is a lot of speculation about all manner of players. The problem we have is there a lot of people out there who are trying to jump into the middle of deals.
"They are trying to manufacture themselves. They are making assumptions on players we are supposedly interested in. They are trying to cover all avenues.
"If we are going into the market we will deal with the clubs directly. We do not need intermediaries or anyone jumping into the middle trying to make a profit out of any business we are going to do.
"We can do any business we like on our own, thank you very much. We do not need any help from anybody. That's our message."
Real Madrid's highly-rated goalkeeper Iker Casillas has been touted as coming in to replace Joe Hart next month.
However Hughes has leapt to the defence of the former Shrewsbury shot-stopper, who kept a clean sheet in the draw against Paris St Germain in the UEFA Cup on Wednesday night.
"He did well. He needed to be strong and come to the fore near the end of the game and he did that," said the City boss.
"Joe is an exceptionally gifted young goalkeeper.
"Irrespective of the speculation, who's coming, who's going, what you have to do as a player is get on with playing well and being part of what we are doing here. He is certainly doing that."
City will finish top of Group A should they get a better result than FC Twente in their final games in two weeks.
That is the plan for Hughes when he takes his side to Racing Santander in Spain while Steve McClaren's Dutch side face PSG.
Should City get their wish, they will take on a third-placed side from one of the groups. The runners-up will meet a team dropping out of the Champions League.
Hughes said: "The idea when we started out in the UEFA Cup, which seems an age ago, was to qualify from the group stage.
"So if we finish top of the pile, we have done better than planned. We are in good shape and want to remain in the box seat."
