© EuroFootball.com
"Bayern Munich hopes to complete the acquisition of Dutch national team defender Mark van Bommel next week. On Saturday, the manager of the German team, Uli Hoeness, stated that the defender will sign a three-year contract with the Bundesliga champions, but added that the acquisition of the defender does not mean that Owen Hargreaves will be allowed to leave the team. "We have reached an agreement with Barcelona," Hoeness said on Saturday. "Van Bommel will arrive next week. If he passes the medical examination, he will sign a three-year contract." "Bayern" has long been interested in acquiring the 29-year-old Dutchman, who would replace former captain Michael Ballack in the Munich team, who left for Chelsea in London. Recently, Hargreaves has been actively seeking a transfer to Man Utd, but Bayern adamantly refuses to release the English national team midfielder. "We want to be stronger with van Bommel and Hargreaves," added Hoeness. "Hargreaves will definitely not leave. When the transfer window closes, the whole story will end. You can bet your last dollar on it." Hargreaves himself stirred up more controversy this week by telling the German newspaper "Bild" that he wants to leave Bayern. The player, who has caused displeasure among the team's leaders, did not play in the first two rounds of the German championship. He was not included in the squad for Saturday's match against Nurnberg."
