Mustafi off the menu as Rummenigge rules out Boateng replacements

A groin injury suffered by the Bayern Munich defender had seen the German champions linked with a move for the Valencia centre-back, but they will keep their powder dry in January
Bayern Munich have confirmed that they will not be signing any new players in January, despite the injury sustained to defender Jerome Boateng.

The Bundesliga leaders have been rocked by the groin injury suffered by the 27-year-old, who has grown into one of Europe’s leading defenders since leaving Manchester City, but who could be sidelined for up to four months.

Since the confirmation of Boateng’s setback, Bayern have been linked with a host of defenders including Valencia’s Shkodran Mustafi, but the German champions are adamant they will not be making any major moves this month.

"There are no good players on the market," Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told the German Press Agency.

"And less-than-ideal solutions don't help us at the end of the day. Thus, we won't do anything. If there had been someone on the market of the quality of Bayern, we would be dealing with them.

"But we have refused to make just any signing in order to satisfy the hysteria."

Goal understands Bayern have been monitoring 23-year-old Mustafi, whose form has represented one of few plus points in an otherwise disappointing season for Valencia, but have opted not to formalise that interest in January.

"There is no contact with Bayern until now," the player's agent, Ali Bulut, confirmed to Goal.

Mustafi, who arrived at Valencia via Sampdoria and Everton, has a €50 million (£38m) buyout clause in his contract which can be activated this month and was part of the Germany squad that won the 2014 World Cup.

Rummenigge also suggested Boateng's injury was not as "dramatic" as first feared – as backed up by further investigation from former club doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt – and insists Bayern's objectives for the season have not changed despite the injury to one of their key men.