Record-time Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich have rebuked the latest attempt from Barcelona to prise Joshua Kimmich away from Bavaria.
According to Mundo Deportivo, the Spaniards’ bid to sign the 28-year-old has received a resounding ‘no’ as Bayern have no intention of letting their star midfielder leave.
Kimmich has two more years left to run on his contract at the Allianz Stadium, with the club chiefs seeing him as a new team captain and a central part of an inevitable redevelopment project.
With old guards such as Manuel Neuer and Thomas Muller approaching the twilight of their playing careers, the Bavarians have identified the German playmaker as a new leader.
Barcelona had faint hopes of landing Kimmich following Bayern’s inconsistent season, but the player seems to have pledged his allegiance to the club he joined from RB Leipzig in 2015.
Xavi Hernandez’s quest to secure a long-term replacement for Camp Nou icon Sergio Busquets, who’s set to leave the club after 15 years, is destined for readjustments.
It’s believed Xavi’s insistence was crucial to Barcelona initiating contact with Bayern in the first place, given he earmarked Kimmich as a perfect candidate to fill the shoes of his former teammate.
And even if they could convince the highly-rated midfielder to change his stance, the newly-crowned La Liga champions would still have to work around Financial Fair Play rules.
Cash-strapped Barcelona must offload some of their assets before negotiating with other clubs over potential new signings, as in the case of their top target Vitor Roque.
Although the Catalans may have to drop their pursuit of Kimmich, they could end up luring another Bayern midfielder by the end of the summer.
Leon Goretzka has reportedly received the green light from the Bavarians to find a new destination, although it’s still uncertain whether the Spaniards have any interest in negotiating his arrival.
Sofyan Amrabat, Martin Zubimendi and Ruben Neves are the remaining names on the club’s shortlist.
