Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge Rules Out January Exit for Mats Hummels

Bayern Munich chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has dismissed suggestions Mats Hummels may be on his way out of the club in January.

The 30-year-old has struggled to show his best form this term, as Bayern have lagged behind Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund. As such, there has been speculation some moves will be made in the transfer market, including departures of key men.

However, Rummenigge made it clear Hummels will stay at the Allianz Arena beyond the midseason transfer window, per Goal.

"We had a conversation with Mats a few days ago, and he will play for Bayern Munich in the second half of the season," he said.

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Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic also said discussions between the player and club have gone well.

"We talked to Mats," he said. "It was a good conversation. Mats feels very well in Munich, and if a player does not always play, it's clear that there are discussions. Mats wanted to talk to us. We explained our point of view to him, and he explained his point of view. I think that we came to a common denominator."

As Goal noted, reports have surfaced suggesting Hummels has fallen out with manager Niko Kovac and slipped down the pecking order as a result. It's added Premier League sides Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with the Germany international.

On Wednesday, Hummels was part of the Bayern side that picked up a huge 1-0 Bundesliga win over RB Leipzig, with Franck Ribery's winner putting them back to within six points of the summit. It was a landmark appearance for the defender too:

During his time with Bayern, Borussia Dortmund and Germany Hummels has been considered as one of the best centre-backs in the world.

On his 30th birthday recently, Squawka Football looked at what the defender has accomplished:

There have been signs that Hummels is not the force he once was, though. Injuries have become increasingly frequent for him, while at the FIFA World Cup in the summer, it was clear he was struggling to cope with brisk attackers who caught Germany on the break.

German football journalist Archie Rhind-Tutt noted that even in victory against Leipzig, Hummels didn't perform well:

With that in mind, it's not a surprise that Kovac has made the 23-year-old Niklas Sule his defensive linchpin this term. According to David G. Medina and Isaac Suarez of Marca, Bayern are also ready to pay the €85 million (£77 million) release clause in Lucas Hernandez's Atletico Madrid contract.

However, it appears as though Hummels' influence is still valued at Bayern, and with the Munich giants slowly finding some sort of form again at the end of 2018, it will be intriguing to see what role he has to play in the second half of the season.