It was reported this weekend that the Bayern Munich boss Louis Van Gaal had decided to take the out-of-favour Liverpool striker Ryan Babel to Germany this January, as the young Dutchman is desperate for first team football ahead of this summer World Cup Finals, but a Bayern Chief has denied any knowledge of the move.

Christian Nerlinger, Bayern’s Director of Sport, was asked about the rumours yesterday, and he replied simply: “I do know anything about it,”

“If I do not know anything, you can easily assume there is no truth in this link.”

But Babel is still desperate to get away, and his declarations to the press that he doesn’t understand why Benitez doesn’t pick him must surely have sealed his fate.

But, apparently, he won’t be going to Munich!