Muller being tempted by EPL money

Bayern Munich forward Thomas Muller has admitted the player wages in the English Premier League makes a potential move ‘very tempting.’

The Germany international, 26, has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United in recent times. And last week, Bayern chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge claimed that United tried to sign Muller during the summer, but insisted the club have no intention of letting the player leave the Allianz Arena. 

“I am not a banker. We are a football club,” Rummenigge told German television station Sport1. “That is why we never even considered selling Thomas Muller.

“I told my colleagues at Manchester United: ‘I cannot close down my email account, but you no longer need to send me anything. It is useless.'”

But despite Rummenigge’s firm stance, Muller has refused to rule out a move to England’s top-flight.

“In the end, we should not forget that playing football is our job,” Muller told German newspaper Welt am Sonntag.

“So people should accept that wages will always play a role in a player’s decision-making. Of course, the wages that are being paid in the Premier League are very tempting. It would be hypocrisy to deny that.

“You have to look at the complete package to determine whether something is right for you. What’s good for you one day will not necessarily still be good for you the day after.

“I know that a lot of German clubs are unhappy with the Premier League clubs’ spending, but I think it is something good for all clubs in the end. It can only be a good thing for football when clubs invest so much money.”

Muller, who broke into Bayern’s first-team under manager Louis van Gaal back in 2009, has already scored eight goals in eight league appearances for the German champions this season, and is priced at 14/1 to be the Bundesliga’s top goalscorer in 2015/16.

Giroud: No reason to change striker situation

Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud has moved to support Arsene Wenger’s decision to drop him in favour of Theo Walcott while insisting the manager still ‘believes’ in him.

The France international, who joined Arsenal from French Ligue 1 side Montpellier HSC for a fee of around £9.6 million in the summer of 2012, has come off the bench in each of the Gunners’ last five Premier League matches.

And although Giroud has scored more goals (3) than Walcott (2) in the league this term, he believes Wenger should, at least for the time being, continue to start the England international ahead of him.

“At Arsenal, I am in competition with Theo [Walcott] for the striker position. But he is doing well at the moment, so there is no reason to change,” Giroud told L’Equipe.

“I was in his place in previous seasons at Arsenal. I imagine what he must have been thinking. But I feel that the coach believes in me. It has been for several matches now that I have played less, that is for sure, but I do not need to be worried. I need a bit more game time but also to believe more in my abilities.”