Manchester United Transfer News: Bayern Say Thomas Muller Priceless Amid Rumours

Manchester United are set to be rebuffed in their reported pursuit of Bayern Munich forward Thomas Muller, with the German giants claiming he’s priceless.

According to Sport Bild (h/t Stephan Uersfeld of ESPN FC), the Red Devils made a whopping €85 million offer for the player last week, as manager Louis van Gaal looks to add to his lightweight attack. But Bayern sporting executive Matthias Sammer has suggested there is no chance of a deal happening despite John Richardson of the Sunday Express stating Muller fancies a move.

“His performances have caused a stir, not Thomas,” he said to Bild, per Uersfeld’s piece. “We can't be blamed for anything but this. [Karl-Heinz] Rummenigge was right when pointing out that he is a player who has no price tag.”

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Although Muller isn’t often the easiest player on the eye, he’s a multi-functional forward who has an in-game intelligence that surpasses that of most players on the continent. It means that while the German may not have the pace of Cristiano Ronaldo or the dribbling skills of Lionel Messi, he remains a brutally effective player.

Here’s a look at why Muller is rated so highly by Bayern supporters:

He’d be a superb solution to the problems United currently have in attack. Aside from a glittering display from Memphis Depay against Club Brugge, none of the Red Devils’ attacking weapons have been at their very best this season, meaning Van Gaal’s men have had to grind results out.

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Muller would enliven this side. He’s capable of playing across the front, troubles defenders with his superb movement, and as his 20 goals from Bundesliga and Champions League matches last season illustrate, the 25-year-old knows where the back of the net is, too, per WhoScored.com.

In addition to all those qualities, he’s a very gifted creator, per WhoScored.com:

But there’s more to Muller than his footballing attributes when it comes to the Bayern Munich fans. After all, he’s a player who has been nurtured through the ranks at this juggernaut of a club and, as such, is a figure to whom supporters can relate.

He understands them as well, as was evident as he led title celebrations for the German champions back in 2014:

After losing a player in Bastian Schweinsteiger who was as equally synonymous with Bayern, selling Muller would be a massively unpopular move in the eyes of the Allianz Arena faithful. Even for a fee as stratospheric as €85 million, it’s important the club do stand firm in the face of United’s interest, and at this stage, all indications suggest they will.

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It’s likely to leave Van Gaal pursuing other options as he looks to galvanise his team in the final third. Muller would have been a fantasy capture and a player who, realistically, the Dutchman wouldn’t have been expecting to prise away from Bayern; United fans will be hoping their manager has some contingency plans in the pipeline.