Mats Hummels: 'I turned down Manchester United due to lack of Champions League'

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 21 June 2016

New Bayern Munich defender Mats Hummels hints that he rejected a move to Manchester United this summer due to their lack of Champions League football.

New Bayern Munich defender Mats Hummels has suggested that Manchester United's lack of Champions League football was the reason why he turned down the chance to move to the club this summer.

The Red Devils were heavily linked with the 27-year-old Borussia Dortmund captain, but he instead opted to move back to the Allianz Arena, where he began his career.

Hummels refused to name United as the club he was close to joining, but strongly hinted that they were just short of the "overall package".

"Fundamentally, England, Spain and Germany were the relevant leagues I could see myself playing football in. But at this stage there just was not that one English club where the overall package was fitting," the Germany international told Suddeutsche Zeitung.

"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. And because of the latter one club was ruled out, and you can envision which club that was."

United have since signed Eric Bailly from Villarreal after missing out on Hummels.