Van Gaal 'will not join Bayern', say AZ Alkmaar

Louis van Gaal, the coach of newly-crowned Dutch champions AZ Alkmaar, will not be joining German giants Bayern Munich, the AZ president Dirk Scheringa declared yesterday.

"Louis is under contract until 2010," Scheringa told the website of Dutch magazine sportweek.nl. "A departure to another club is not negotiable.

"I'm not worried about anything as Van Gaal is a man of principle who always respects his contracts. And we've not been contacted by Bayern."

Bayern's general manager Uli Hoeness claimed on Sunday that the reigning German champions were close to an agreement with Van Gaal, having sacked Jurgen Klinsmann last week.

Van Gaal, who has previously coached Ajax and Barcelona, would sign "a two-to-three-year contract", Hoeness told the Munich press.

But Scheringa was adamant Van Gaal would not be leaving AZ.

"We want to play in the Champions League with Louis," he said.

"A transfer of our coach is impossible. Only one approach to speak to him will be authorised," he added, referring to the fact that Van Gaal is currently in talks to become coach of the Belgian national side on top of his duties at AZ.

Van Gaal refused to comment on the matter during the press conference that followed AZ's 3-0 league defeat at second-placed FC Twente on Sunday.