Bayern Munich have said they are in talks with the Borussia Dortmund defender Mats Hummels about joining the club in the summer. The German champions' chairman, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, confirmed on Tuesday that Bayern have started discussions with the Germany international and that talks with continue with Dortmund too.
The news will come as a blow to a host of clubs who had wanted to sign the 27-year-old, including Manchester United, but Hummels will not be the first high-profile player to joined Bayern from Dortmund should the transfer go through.
In recent years, both Mario Götze and Robert Lewandowski have left the 2013 and 2014 champions for Bavaria with Hummels now likely to follow in their footsteps.
Central defence has been a problem area for Bayern this season with Pep Guardiola’s back-line depleted by injuries for large parts of the campaign.
On Monday night the Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke said that “if Hummels leaves it will be to join Bayern Munich” and Rummenigge, as Bayern were preparing to fly to Madrid for their Champions League semi-final against Atlético Madrid, said: “I can pretty much confirm what Mr Watzke said last night and that is that Mats is talking to Bayern.
“But these are talks between three parties and please understand that I cannot go into more detail at this moment. We have to respect that he is under contract at the moment [UNTIL 2017]and I don’t want to ruin the good relationship we have built up [WITH DORTMUND]with some comments today.”
A fee has yet to be agreed but it is believed the defender will be offered a four-year contract by Bayern.
Dortmund are also interested in re-signing Götze with Watzke saying that the “door is open” for the player to return to the Westfalenstadion. However, Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool are also keen on signing the 23-year-old German international.
(Guardian service)
