Former Germany captain Michael Ballack seems to have no future at Bayer Leverkusen after chief executive officer Wolfgang Holzhaeuser said they are prepared to sell him before the transfer window closes today.

The 35-year-old cut a forlorn figure on Leverkusen’s bench in freezing temperatures during Saturday’s 1-1 German league draw with Werder Bremen and his days at Bayer are numbered with his contract due to expire at the end of the season.

Although he has played in 14 of Leverkusen’s 18 league games this season, just five have been over the full 90 minutes and Ballack, who made 98 appearances for Germany, is no stranger to the Bayer bench.

To make matters worse, Holzhaeuser has had a public feud with Ballack’s agent, Michael Becker, and with the transfer window set to close tonight, a late transfer has not been ruled out.

“If a club report an interest in Michael Ballack, then we are also willing to talk about the issue,” the Bayer boss told Sky Sports.

“But both Michael and this club are professional and we are all able to handle the next three months, if that doesn’t happen.”

Holzhaeuser stirred things up on Friday when he said the signing of Ballack in July 2010 had not been a success for Leverkusen, who host holders Barcelona in the Champions League’s Round of 16 on February 14.

“It’s reached the point where we must admit, all things considered, that after 20 months, things haven’t worked out,” he said.

After his Chelsea contract expired two years ago, Ballack returned to the Bundesliga and Leverkusen after four years in London, but has been blighted by injury and bad fortune.

An ankle injury playing for the Blues in the FA Cup final in May 2010 ruled him out of the World Cup in South Africa and he then broke his leg in only his third game back with Leverkusen in September of the same year.