Man Utd delight as Euro giants rule themselves out of race for ‘top’ star Ratcliffe loves; Man City pursuit also over

Manchester United have a much better chance at signing Joshua Kimmich from Bayern Munich after one of Europe’s biggest clubs publicly admitted they will struggle to land him, with an ambitious Manchester City raid also dead in the water.

Kimmich has been at Bayern Munich since July 2015. Since then, he has made a name for himself as one of the best defensive midfielders in the world while making 370 appearances for the German giants.

Kimmich has helped Bayern win a host of trophies, including the 2020 Champions League, eight Bundesliga titles and three German cups.

Despite the Germany star being a fantastic servant to Bayern, the chances of him leaving Bavaria in the summer are growing.

Kimmich’s current terms expire in June 2025, but he is in a contract stand-off with the club. If the two parties cannot reach an agreement, then Bayern will have to consider his sale at the end of the season to prevent him from leaving in a cut-price deal next year.

On Wednesday, it emerged that Sir Jim Ratcliffe is a big fan of Kimmich and is eager to elevate Man Utd’s midfield with his capture. The British billionaire is also plotting moves for Ligue 1 duo Jonathan David and Khephren Thuram as part of his strategy to sign players entering the final 12 months of their contracts.

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Barcelona have been named as one potential destination for Kimmich, should the 29-year-old decide to leave Bayern. But in great news for Man Utd, Barca will not provide them with competition for Kimmich’s signing.

Barca sporting director Deco has admitted his side will not have the finances to snare either Kimmich or Man City enforcer Rodri.

Man Utd can sign ‘top player’ before Barcelona

“It’s almost impossible to replace [Sergio] Busquets. Rodri is the closest but City would never sell him to any club,” Deco said during a recent interview (via Fabrizio Romano).

“Kimmich is another top player… but it’s also not easy to sign him. Look at how much Chelsea paid for [Moises] Caicedo [£100m rising to £115m], it’s not easy at all.”

Kimmich has previously been linked with Man Utd’s Premier League rivals City and Tottenham Hotspur. However, should the serial winner look to try himself out in English football next season, it seems most likely he will arrive at Old Trafford.

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