Dundee United boss Peter Houston says one thing he has in common with Celtic's Neil Lennon is that both are unable to stop players being sold.

The former Scotland assistant revealed last week that he would be leaving Tannadice at the end of his season when his contract ends, but insists that is not the reason he will not have the final say if bids come in for any of his players during this transfer window.

Houston claims club finances are now out of the hands of football bosses, even at Parkhead, where the champions knocked back two bids from Norwich - the first of which was reported to be £5million - for striker Gary Hooper, with Lennon claiming the bid was too low.

Houston, who admitted the Taysiders have not yet received offers for any of their players, said: "With a week to go of the transfer window, unlike other years, there has been nobody in for any of our players, which is great.

"But there is still a week left and a lot can happen in a day, never mind a week.

"If one or two are taken away it makes it that bit more difficult but it is a fact of life for every team.

"Bids for players are accepted by the board. No matter which manager it is - the biggest or strongest - it is down to the board deciding and managers getting on with it.

"Celtic will be pressurised if the money that they want is offered for Hooper. He might well be off because every team has to make sure that their financial resources are right.

"That's the way it has been. That's what happened with David Goodwillie (sold to Blackburn in 2011 for a reported fee of £2million plus £800,000 in potential add-ons) and we got good money for him.

"It was a player that I didn't want to lose but I understood why.

"If any player leaves us - Johnny Russell, Gary Mackay-Steven, Stuart Armstrong or Jon Daly - it is because the board thinks it is for the right money and I understand why they are doing it."

United later secured teenagers Ryan Gauld and John Souttar, both of whom have played for the first team, on three-year contracts.

Midfielder Gauld, 17, has made three appearances and 16-year-old Souttar became the club's youngest first-team player when he started the 2-2 draw at Aberdeen on January 2.

Chairman Stephen Thompson said: "Ryan and John are the future of Dundee United. They are two of the most exciting talents in the Scottish game and as a club we must continue to produce this level of talent."