No Approach for Huntelaar But Premier League Remains a Lure

The International Business Times understands Premier League giants Manchester United have not made an approach for Schalke 04 star Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.

The prolific Dutchman has been a perennial target for Premier League clubs including Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Liverpool over the last 18-months, but in recent weeks, reports claiming Manchester United were targeting a January move for the Holland international are wide of the mark.

A source close to the prolific Dutchman confirmed to The International Business Times that there was no truth in the speculation intimating Manchester United had begun tentative negotiations to sign the 26-year-old in the January transfer window claiming a move to Old Trafford in the winter was "out of the question" at this current stage.

The source was adamant neither Schalke nor the player had received any formal offers from any club, but did concede the Premier League would inevitably remain a draw for a player like Huntelaar, who has already played in the Eredivisie, La Liga, Serie A and the Bundesliga, at Ajax, Real Madrid, AC Milan and Schalke 04 respectively.

On Friday, various reports in England suggested Sir Alex Ferguson was considering offering the peripheral Dimitar Berbatov as a makeweight in a deal to lure the Holland international to Old Trafford, but the IBTimes understands this was never proposed to the necessary parties.

The speculation surrounding Huntelaar has intensified in recent weeks following the striker's stunning return to goal scoring form. He has scored ten goals in the Bundesliga already and has revelled in the freedom afforded to him by head coach Huub Stevens, who succeeded Ralf Rangnick at the end of September.

At the beginning of the month and obviously eager to quash rumours purporting to his star player's pending exit, Schalke general manager Horst Heldt warned any potential suitors they would be wasting their time.

"Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is under contract at Schalke and he is a first-team regular at our club." Heldt told German newspaper BILD.

"We have no ambition to transfer him. He is showing top standard performances this season and it is pretty much usual those performances are getting noticed by top-quality clubs.

"At this moment we have not received any offer for the services of Klaas-Jan Huntelaar from any club."

Prior to Huntelaar's big money move to Real Madrid in January 2009, he was championed by his country's press as the 'Next Marco Van Basten' following his goal scoring exploits at Ajax, where he netted a staggering 76 goals in just 92 games. Despite enduring frustrating and at times underwhelming spells at Real Madrid and AC Milan, the Holland international has been consistently linked with a move to England, with Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool, and Tottenham Hotspur all mentioned as suitors at various stages.