Mats Hummels reveals why he snubbed United

Bayern Munich defender Mats Hummels has suggested he turned down a move to Manchester United because they could not offer him Champions League football.

Hummels, 27, is due to join Bayern, the club where he began his career, from Borussia Dortmund after he returns from Euro 2016 with Germany.

Although the centre-back has flirted in the past with a move abroad, he opted to stay in Germany, signing a five-year deal in May with Bayern, who are paying €37 million for his services.

Speaking to Suddeutsche Zeitung, Hummels revealed that he considered a transfer to England, but did not receive the right offer.

“Fundamentally, England, Spain and Germany were the relevant leagues I could see myself playing football in,” Hummels said. “But at this stage there just was not that one English club where the overall package was fitting.”

Hummels seemed to hint that United were unable to provide that “overall package” due to not being in the Champions League next season.

“The overall package means: a club which fascinates me; a club I have always wanted to join, and where the sporting constellation is right, and which of course plays Champions League football next season,” Hummels said. “And because of the latter one club was ruled out, and you can envision which club that was.”

While the Germany international did not explicitly name United, he did not intervene when the interviewer suggested that the Red Devils had been the club chasing his signature.

Hummels also revealed that Arsenal did not contact him over a transfer.

“I don’t have to beat about the bush, and pretend they [Arsenal] wanted me,” he said. “There was no offer. The same applies for Spain, there was always contact but no option right now. That’s why I now have made the fundamental decision to continue my career in Germany.”

At Bayern, Hummels will team up at the back with Germany teammates Manuel Neuer and Jerome Boateng.

And the defender said that the prospect of working and playing alongside the duo on a daily basis helped persuade him to move to the Allianz Arena.

“I can say that this [defensive] team with Jerome and Manuel definitely played a role,” he said. “Not the only role, but let’s put it this way: it was one of several arguments I weighed up before my decision.”