UPDATE 2-Porsche SE denies to sell sports car unit to VW

* Porsche calls media report "nonsense"

* Sources say co could sell assets to cut debt

* Porsche still in control of the VW deal - sources

(Adds source comments, background)

By Edward Taylor and Philipp Halstrick

FRANKFURT, April 23 (Reuters) - Porsche Automobil Holding SE (PSHG_p.DE: Quote, Profile, Research) on Thursday denied a report that its main shareholders planned to sell the group's sports car business to its Volkswagen (VOWG.DE: Quote, Profile, Research) unit as a way to reduce the holding company's debt.

"This is nonsense," spokesman Anton Hunger said. "If this were the case then we would have to publish a statement because other shareholders would be affected." He added that no such statement was being worked on.

The Bloomberg news agency, citing two people familiar with the matter, reported on Thursday that the Porsche and Piech families -- who control all the votes in the holding company -- planned to sell Porsche AG and its eastern European dealer network to VW, Europe's biggest carmaker to help pay down its debt.

Porsche Automobil, which has already spent about 23 billion euros to gain control of nearly 51 percent in Volkswagen, has said it plans to raise its VW voting stake to 75 percent as early as this year should economic conditions allow.