Manchester United Risk Failure in Ongoing Pursuit of Bayern Munich's Toni Kroos

We've all seen it happen.

An attractive girl walks in to a bar. She's keen on the smartly dressed, successful-looking type in the corner. But to get his attention, she talks to someone else.

She's got no intention of pursuing anyone but the smartly dressed, successful-looking type in the corner. But it's a means to an end. The only one who gets a rough deal is the poor bloke who's been used and doesn't know why.

Toni Kroos is, in this analogy, that attractive girl. 

Bayern Munich is the smartly dressed, successful-looking type in the corner. And unfortunately for David Moyes, Manchester United are playing the part of the sad, lonely secondary suitor, according to Paul Handler of the Manchester Evening News.

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Kroos' contract situation is well known. 

About to enter the final year of his deal at the Allianz Arena, he's given rival clubs, including United, a chance at landing him for a knockdown price this summer, or for nothing in 2015, per James Robson of the Manchester Evening News.

Bayern, meanwhile, are still hopeful the 24-year-old will sign an extension, as manager Pep Guardiola told reporters in the build-up to the Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday night.

"

Toni has one year more of a contract and Toni will remain there.

I hope he can extend his contract and stay with us because he is a very good guy, he loves his game.

It is not just a job for him and I would like him to stay but I spoke with the player, with the club, I gave my opinion. After that I am not manager, I am just the trainer.

"

For Kroos, it's win-win. 

Either Bayern blink first and offer him a bumper new contract to ward off unwanted interest, or they dig their heels in and he gets a bumper deal somewhere else.

But if Bayern know he's not willing to entertain other offers, his bargaining position is immediately weakened. It's in his interest to be vague about his desire to move elsewhere, United included.

He wouldn't be the first footballer to bat his eyelids at someone else in order to get a better deal at his current club. It is the way contract negotiations are conducted these days.

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It is clear why United would be interested in Kroos, or any midfielder for that matter. 

But it's less clear why a German international playing in arguably the best team in the world would want to swap that for a club that will almost certainly miss out on a place in the Champions League next season.

After all, attractive girls don't often ditch smartly dressed, successful-looking types for someone who's going through something of a personal crisis.