Manchester United have been dealt a huge transfer blow with one of their prime targets Thomas Muller signing a new five year contract at Bayern Munich, pledging his future to the Bavarian giants for the foreseeable future.

This new deal will see Muller stay at the Allianz Arena till 2019 and the German international forward will spend arguably his best years as a footballer with Pep Guardiola and his team.

The Old Trafford giants had targeted Muller as one of their primary transfers with incoming boss Louis van Gaal personally asking the United hierarchy to go for his signature. Muller, who burst onto the scene for Germany at the World Cup in 2010 where he was the top scorer with five goals, was given his first team opportunity by the current Dutch national team boss and the two share a great bond even after four years since van Gaal left Bavaria.

Muller is capable of playing up front as a lone striker as well as on the right wing which would have provided the Dutchman with an option for the underperforming Antonio Valencia but those plans have to be redrawn again after this latest snub.

There were reports in Germany that Muller was not happy with his role under the Spanish boss and his rotational policy. But after signing the new deal, he told the club’s official website, he was very happy to be able to extend his contract with the club where he has spent all his life and knows it inside out.

And with this latest snub, the rebuilding process for Louis van Gaal got a lot difficult as he looks to take Manchester United back to the top after a dismal season under David Moyes when the club finished at seventh, missing out on the Champions League.