Thomas Muller rejected any prospect of a move to Arsenal out of hand as he shot down a hopeful Gunners supporter.
The 32-year-old has harnessed the reputation as one of the most effective attacking players in European football over recent seasons with Bayern Munich. The 11-time Bundesliga winner scored 13 goals and notched an astounding 25 assists as the German giants enjoyed a successful first campaign under the tutelage of Julian Nagelsmann.
He will of course hope to replicate those numbers next term but the chances of him doing that at the Emirates Stadium look remote to say the very least.
Currently part of Bayern Munich’s pre-season tour squad in the US, the German was afforded time for a few autographs ahead of a training session. A somewhat optimistic supporter asked him if he would “come to Arsenal ” to which he had a simple answer. Firing a wry smile towards the fan, he replied: “No, no, no.”
That is certainly no surprise considering that he only signed a new deal with Bayern Munich until the summer of 2024 back in May.
Speaking to the club’s official website after penning his extended deal, he said: "I'm delighted to have extended my contact with FC Bayern Munich until 2024 today. The journey we've been on since I joined the FCB academy in 2000 has been a fantastic success story up to now.
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"It gives me immense pleasure to wear the red colours year after year, on and off the pitch - even if the wind blows in your face from time to time. So, let's keep going together!"
During his career with Bayern after progressing from the club’s youth system, Muller has accumulated 624 appearances in all, scoring 227 goals. He has on numerous occasions been linked with a switch to the Premier League - Arsenal and Man Utd reportedly interested in his services in the past.
The Gunners reportedly made tentative enquiries as to his future back in 2015, with former Red Devils’ boss Louis van Gaal revealing that his side made an £84m move for Muller around the same time, only to see his wife scuffer a transfer.
Speaking with German outlet SportBild, he said: "I tried to bring Muller to Manchester both in the 2014/2015 season and in the 2015/2016 season. In 2015 it would have been possible if his wife had been a little more open to a transfer abroad.
"At least that was the reason Thomas gave my assistant Marcel Bout, who had had all the conversations with him, why the transfer had been rejected."
Whilst Arsenal are not going to sign Muller this summer, they have been able to welcome five new faces to north London. Fabio Vieira, Gabriel Jesus, Matt Turner and Marquinhos have already put pen to paper on a move with Manchester City ’s Oleksandr Zinchenko set to follow.
