Bayern Munich bound Mark van Bommel has hinted that Owen Hargreaves will leave.
Bayern Munich bound Mark van Bommel claims he is moving to the German champions as a direct replacement for Owen Hargreaves.The Holland international spent the weekend thrashing out a deal to quit Barcelona for Bayern, confident in the knowledge he will in all likelihood not have to compete with Hargreaves for a starting spot.
In one of the transfer stories of the summer Hargreaves has become a firm target of Manchester United, with Sir Alex Ferguson keen to link him up with his other major signing Michael Carrick in the middle of the field.
United are thought to have seen a £17 million bid rebuffed by their German counterparts, who have been less than enamoured with Ferguson's airing of his admiration for the player.
While Bayern have repeatedly denied that they will agree to a sale, van Bommel's words are sure to stoke speculation further ahead of Thursday's transfer deadline.
''I have left Barcelona because there were not enough guarantees that I would play every week," said van Bommel.
"With 24 top-class players, I know I can't expect that.
"But at Bayern Munich the chances of playing there are so much bigger, with Michael Ballack gone and Owen Hargreaves close to leaving the club."
