Agent plays down Ballack link

Wolfsburg are unlikely to make Michael Ballack their 12th signing of the summer.

The former Bayern Munich and Chelsea midfielder is struggling to win a regular place in the Bayer Leverkusen team and has been linked with Wolfsburg.

But Ballack’s agent Dr Michael Becker told the Wolfsburger Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper: “Nobody from Wolfsburg has made contact with me, nor have they had any contact with Michael.”

The 34-year-old, who has retired from the German national team, has started just one match for Leverkusen so far this season and is expected to be given permission to leave.

Leverkusen director of sport Rudi Voller told Sport1 television at the weekend: “If he were to come to us, of course we would discuss things and find a satisfactory resolution.”