Manchester United are set for disappointment over Bayern Munich’s Thomas Müller, one of their prime summer transfer targets, with the attacking midfielder not minded to leave the German champions and the club not wanting to sell him.
There has also been a rowing back of interest from United in Barcelona’s Cesc Fábregas, with Louis van Gaal also ending the club’s pursuit of Toni Kroos, Müller’s Bayern team-mate.
Müller has a particular affinity with Van Gaal as the Dutchman gave him a first-team opportunity when in charge of Bayern. Van Gaal’s faith allowed Müller to play himself into Germany’s squad for the 2010 World Cup where he proved one of the tournament’s better performers.
Yet despite this and Müller’s role in Pep Guardiola’s Bayern team – where he can often be asked to move between a forward and attacking midfield position - the 24-year-old is content at the club.
Bayern, for whom Müller contributed 13 goals in 25 starts in their Bundesliga title success, also want to retain a player who is contracted until 2017 and who is viewed an important part of their future.
Van Gaal’s move to end United’s interest in Kroos represents the manager’s first major decision regarding the rebuilding of United’s squad in a vital close season for the club.
Kroos had been pursued by David Moyes, with the 24-year-old identified as being able to help solve the deficit in United’s central midfield department. Kroos, who impressed in a deep-lying role when Bayern knocked United out of last season’s Champions League, has only a year left to run on his contract.
Paul Scholes believes Kroos should be the prime choice as the 20-times champions seek to re-establish themselves as title contenders. “The first player I’d bring in is Toni Kroos. He’s a top-class central midfield player but United need five or six to get anywhere near the top of the Premier League again,” the former United midfielder told Paddy Power.
Kroos’s deal expires next summer but Bayern are still playing hardball over a new offer. Their president, Karl Hopfner, said: “There will certainly be further talks but at some point the player has to say what he wants,” Hopfner told Kicker magazine. “We will not exceed certain financial boundaries.”
Hopfner pointed to the case of Michael Ballack, who left the club for Chelsea in 2006, as a similar example.
“It was the same with Michael Ballack and at some point we withdrew the offer.”
Although United retain an interest in Fábregas, whom the club pursued last summer, the 27-year-old former Arsenal player is not a priority.
