Bayern end Bosingwa chase

Bayern Munich have decided not to pursue their interest in Chelsea's Portugal international defender Jose Bosingwa.

The Bundesliga giants have been chasing Bosingwa for more than a month but have now decided to turn their attention elsewhere as they search for a new right-back.

"We're not done yet on the transfer market, as we still want to add a right-back to our squad," Bayern chairman Karl Heinz Rummenigge told Bild. "However, Jose Bosingwa is no longer one of the candidates to join us.

"We were keen to sign him this summer, but Chelsea simply refuse to let go of him. Therefore, we have to accept that he stays at Chelsea and set our sights to another right-back."

German outfit Hamburg have won the race to sign Groningen's Swedish striker Marcus Berg, who had also been tracked by a number of English clubs.

The 22-year-old recently sprang to prominence in the European Under-21 Championships on home soil, scoring seven goals in four games as the hosts reached the semi-finals of the competition.

Berg has penned a five-year contract with Hamburg, leaving the Netherlands after two successful seasons with Groningen.

He told his new club's official website: "I am pleased that everything is now perfect. HSV is a top club in the Bundesliga and I want good performances and goals to help ensure that we will be as successful as possible."

Hamburg coach Bruno Labbadia added: "I am very glad that we have signed Marcus Berg. He is a striker who has a desire to score goals.

"That's what he has done in the past three years and impressively proved that at the recent European Under-21 Championship."

VfB Stuttgart coach Markus Babbel remains hopeful that his club can persuade Real Madrid striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar to head to Germany.

Netherlands international Huntelaar only joined Real in January and scored eight times in 20 appearances, but is now surplus to requirements following the arrivals of Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Madrid sporting director Jorge Valdano stated: “Only one formal offer exists for Huntelaar and that is Stuttgart's.”

Babbel added: “The important thing is that I know that we are working on a transfer and not only that of Huntelaar, but also alternatives.

“He is a player that we really like, now it is down to him. But whether that is tomorrow or next week, that's not so important.”