Manchester United Lifted as Kroos Opts to Abandon Bayern Talks Until Summer

Bayern Munich midfielder and Manchester United target Toni Kroos will put talks over his future on hold until after the World Cup.

The Germany international turned down an offer from the Bundesliga champions in January to throw his long term future at the club in doubt, with his current deal set to expire in the summer of 2015.

Speculation has suggested that Kroos is waiting for an offer than would see him become one of Bayern's top earners alongside Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mario Götze, a demand that has prompted frustration from some figures within the club including honorary president Franz Beckenbauer.

Uncertainty surrounding the 24-year-old's future will now continue until July after Kroos revealed he will not hold talks with any club until then to avoid being distracted from Germany's World Cup bid.

"It does certainly not just revolve around money, that's not my character," Kroos told Kicker when asked about a contract offer from Bayern at the beginning of 2014.

"But of course it revolves around it too, otherwise I would be lying. We have been dealing with this subject for a long time and had not managed to come to an agreement by January.

"There is no date as to when a decision has to be made. I want to be able to fully concentrate on the World Cup; I want to be left in peace during the World Cup."

Kroos' decision to delay talks will provide Manchester United with faint hope of convincing the midfielder to swap the Allianz Arena for Old Trafford. Reports in the British press have previously suggested United would be willing to meet his demands of £225,000 a week, but any decision to leave Bayern is likely to ignite the interest of an array of clubs across the continent in the midfielder.

But when asked of which clubs he could possibly swap Bayern for, Kroos added: "There are not many clubs in question."

Bayern's sporting director Jan-Christian Dreesen recently gave the strongest indication yet that Bayern were willing to meet Kroos' demands with a lucrative contract offer. But the midfielder's decision to postpone talks is likely to heighten United's interest ahead of a pivotal summer for the club.