Hargreaves told to stay by Bayern
Bayern Munich insist they are not interested in selling midfielder Owen Hargreaves to Manchester United.
Reds boss Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed his interest in the 25-year-old England international, but Bayern do not want to part with him.
A statement on the German club's website said: \"Bayern has not held negotiations with Manchester United.
\"Furthermore, the club does not intend entering transfer negotiations regarding Owen Hargreaves.\"
The statement added: \"Bayern Munich has officially requested Manchester United to cease pursuing its interest in Owen Hargreaves.\"
Hargreaves has made his desire to play for Manchester United in the Premiership clear.
He said: \"I've had a fantastic time in Munich but from the 2006 World Cup my situation has changed.\"
Ferguson has been keen to acquire the services of Hargreaves and said: \"We have been trying to negotiate with Bayern Munich for quite a while now.
\"The boy has said he would like to join United. We would like to have him here.\"
Hargreaves starred for England last Wednesday as he helped the team to a 4-0 win in a friendly against Greece.
Bayern, however, are reluctant to let Hargreaves go after losing midfielder Michael Ballack to Chelsea in the summer.
Ferguson said the move was now in the \"capable\" hands of chief executive David Gill and added: \"He's doing his best.
Ferguson was remaining hopeful that a deal could be done. He said: \"You can never be confident but we are hopeful. We are dealing with a big club in Bayern Munich.
\"The relationship between the two clubs has always been good.
\"We would have preferred Ruud van Nistelrooy to join them because that may have helped us with the Hargreaves situation.
\"That wasn't to be. But hopefully we can get something done.\"
Hargreaves seems determined to seize on his raised profile in England following his combative and tough-tackling displays during the World Cup.
He was seen as England's player of the tournament and continued his impressive rise in the international ranks in the friendly against Greece in new manager Steve McClaren's first game in charge.
Hargreaves has been at Bayern since moving to the club from Canada as a 16-year-old in 1997.
He helped Bayern to the Champions League crown in 2001 and has also won four Bundesliga titles with the club.
His inclusion in former England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson's squad for the World Cup raised eyebrows after he had failed to establish himself since his international debut against Holland in August 2001.
But he was in impressive form in Germany and starred when he played against Sweden and Portugal.
Hargreaves has been linked with numerous Premiership clubs over recent years, including Arsenal, Tottenham and Middlesbrough.
Hargreaves 'to make Bayern plea'
Owen Hargreaves will reportedly hold a news conference on Wednesday to say he wants to leave Bayern Munich.
According to reports, the 25-year-old will criticise the German club for standing in the way of his move to Manchester United.
Relations between the two clubs soured on Tuesday when Bayern threatened to report United for breaching Fifa rules with their pursuit of Hargreaves.
The England international's Bayern contract runs until 2010.
And Bayern are particularly keen for him to honour that after losing Michael Ballack to Chelsea over the summer.
United are thought to be prepared to offer up to £17m for Hargreaves, whose stock rose with some impressive performances at the World Cup.
But Bayern general manager Uli Hoeness said: \"Bayern Munich will never be taken for a ride and become weak at the knees as soon as a certain level of money is mentioned.\"
Bayern in fresh Hargreaves denial
Bayern Munich manager Uli Hoeness says the impending arrival of Mark van Bommel does not pave the way for Owen Hargreaves to join Manchester United.
Van Bommel has agreed a three-year deal with the German giants, leading to speculation that fellow midfielder Hargreaves will be allowed to leave.
But Hoeness insisted: \"Owen stays - you can bet your house on that. Manchester United will have to plan without him.\"
Hargreaves, 25, has already expressed his desire to move to Old Trafford.
The England international's contract with Bayern expires in 2010 and the German club are determined to keep him.
Van Bommel, who has played 40 games for the Netherlands, is expected to complete his move from Barcelona next week.
Hargreaves says Man Utd deal off
Owen Hargreaves has admitted defeat in his bid to join Manchester United, according to his agent.
The England midfielder was keen to leave Bayern Munich for Old Trafford, but the German club have refused to sanction the transfer.
Hargreaves' agent Roman Grill said: \"We have to accept there is no way Bayern will allow this transfer to happen.
\"His only hope is that if United reamin interested in him the deal could happen at a later date.\"
United have been chasing Hargreaves and were thought to be willing to pay £17m for the player, who was one of England's few success stories at the World Cup.
But Bayern general manager Uli Hoeness underlined his club's intention to hold on to Hargreaves, even after the arrival of Mark van Bommel.
Hoeness said: \"Owen stays - you can bet your house on that. Manchester United will have to plan without him.\"
It had been thought Van Bommel's move from Barcelona could pave the way for Hargreaves to join Manchester United.
Van Bommel himself was quoted as saying Hargreaves was \"close to leaving\". But Hoeness again insisted on Monday: \"We want to move forward with Mark and Owen. We would be crazy to sign Van Bommel as a replacement for Hargreaves.\"
Van Bommel has signed a three-year deal, believed to be in the region of £8m, with the German giants after undergoing a medical on Monday.
He is now being seen as a replacement for Germany captain Michael Ballack, who moved to Chelsea earlier in the summer.
But when speaking prior to completing his move to the German club, Van Bommel had been quoted as saying: \"I have left Barcelona because there were not enough guarantees that I would play every week.
\"At Bayern the chances of playing are bigger, they told me, with Ballack gone and Owen Hargreaves close to leaving the club.\"
But it now appears Hargreaves, who is under contract until 2010 at Bayern, will have to put on hold a move to the Premiership until at least January.
