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Dante denies using United to aid talks

ESPN staff
January 22, 2014
Dante says he will only leave Bayern Munich if the club tell him to © Getty Images
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Bayern Munich centre-back Dante has told local media that he is not using Manchester United as leverage for a new contract with the treble winners.

On Tuesday, Dante unexpectedly told Fox Sports Brasil that he felt flattered by United's interest in him and, asked if he could go into details, replied: "We have to wait until January 31 because there is a lot going on."

Club sources subsequently told ESPN that United had not made an approach, while Dante's Germany-based agent, Marcus Marin, told Press Association Sport: "There is no way that is going to happen. He is not going to leave Bayern in the window."

There have since been suspicions that Dante, 30, may have been using the statement to strengthen his hand in his attempt to secure a new contract with Bayern, but he insists that is not the case.

He said in German newspaper Abendzeitung: "You might think that I stand to profit a little from my name being mentioned somewhere, but I don't need that. I mean no disrespect to the media, but it's my performances on the pitch that are important, not what happens in the press."

Although United do not have any firm plans to bid for the player, the club's scouts have watched him, and Dante said that interest makes him "proud."

However, he added: "I don't know how big the interest is, and I'm delighted to be at FC Bayern. Today, I am playing for the best club in the world. And only if Bayern tell me to pack my bags will I say goodbye."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd
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