Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has insisted that Juventus target Mario Gotze will remain with the Bavarians.
The German champions are in talks with Juventus for the signature of Arturo Vidal and are hoping to close out the deal soon.
However, Juventus are in the market for a ‘number 10’ and have taken a liking for Germany playmaker Gotze.
There is speculation that the Italian champions are plotting to insert the 23-year-old’s name into the negotiations for Vidal.
However, Rummenigge rubbished the rumours and stressed that Gotze is not a bargaining chip in the deal to sign the Chilean midfielder from Juventus.
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“Mario is not a bargaining chip in the Vidal deal”, Rummenigge was quoted as saying by Corriere dello Sport.
“It is like repeating the same story from last week when I was asked whether [Angel] di Maria would be part of the deal when [Bastian] Schweinsteiger joined Manchester United.”
Despite all the rumours surrounding Gotze’s future, the Bayern Munich CEO insisted that the club are keen to hold on to the playmaker this summer.
“Gotze has a contract with us and we want to keep him; the rest are just rumours that we would neither confirm nor deny.”
The former Dortmund man is believed to be unsettled at Bayern Munich and according to his agent Gotze feels underappreciated at the Allianz Arena.
The German international has also been linked with a move to the Premier League in the past with Arsenal said to be one of his primary suitors.
Gotze, who scored the winning goal in the World Cup final last summer, still has two years left on his contract with the Bavarians.
