Bayern don´t want any more Dortmund players – Rummenigge

Bayern Munich chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has offered assurances that his club are not looking to pilfer any more of Borussia Dortmund’s star names in the near future.

Bayern host Dortmund in Der Klassiker on Saturday and the rivalry between the two Bundesliga heavyweights has deepened over recent years, in part due to the acrimonious transfers of Mario Gotze, Robert Lewandowski and Mats Hummels from Signal Iduna Park to the Allianz Arena.

Dortmund lie a distant fourth as Bayern close in on a fifth consecutive title, but their boss Thomas Tuchel’s squad still boasts one of Europe’s most lethal strikers in Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang and a clutch of impressive youngsters led by Julian Weigl, Ousmane Dembele and Christian Pulisic.

Nevertheless, Rummenigge insists history will not be repeated.

“I can guarantee today that we have not contacted or will contact any of these players,” he told WAZ.

Rummenigge’s stance could be interpreted as a slight on Dortmund’s current strength, given Bayern have regularly signed from strong domestic rivals during the modern era.

From Bayer Leverkusen’s 2002 Champions League runners-up, Michael Ballack, Ze Roberto and Lucio ended up in Bavaria, while Miroslav Klose, Tim Borowski joined Bayern from Werder Bremen in 2007 and 2008 respectively.

Hoffenheim are currently a point and a place above Dortmund in the Bundesliga and Bayern have already secured the services of Niklas Sule and Sebastian Rudy from Julian Nagelsmann’s side for next season.