BERLIN (AFP)– Dutch midfielder Mark van Bommel will captain defending German champions Bayern Munich against Steve McClaren's Wolfsburg on Saturday, despite being out of contract in June, says coach Louis van Gaal.
The 33-year-old van Bommel's contract expires at the end of the season while his potential replacement, Brazilian Luiz Gustavo, has signed for 15 million euros (19.7 million US dollars) from Hoffenheim.
With Bayern 14 points behind current Bundesliga leaders Dortmund, Munich resume their quest to close the gap against 2009 German champions Wolfsburg and van Bommel is set to take charge of Bayern on the pitch.
Wolfsburg have gone eight games without a win and ex-England coach Steve McClaren is under pressure to keep his job after his side were dumped out of the German Cup by second division Aachen before Christmas.
"I think van Bommel will be the captain against Wolfsburg," van Gaal told German daily Bild on Thursday with his side fifth in the Bundesliga and Wolfsburg 13th.
The Dutch midfield enforcer, who played in the World Cup final defeat to Spain in July, faces a fight to keep his place in the Bayern midfield alongside Bastian Schweinsteiger with Gustavo waiting in the wings.
According to reports in the Italian media, van Bommel and his agent met with AC Milan boss Adriano Galliani on Wednesday.
The transfer window closes at midnight on January 31.
Meanwhile, van Gaal has caused a stir in the German media by saying he wants former Bayern boss Jurgen Klinsmann to return to the club he was fired from in April 2009 to work as his assistant coach.
"Why? Because I want it to happen," insisted van Gaal in Bild.
The former Germany coach was sacked as Bayern boss after just 10 months in charge.
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