Van Bommel leaves Munich, signs for AC Milan

In the end everything went really quickly. Dutch international midfielder Mark van Bommel has left FC Bayern Munich and joined Italian Serie A giants AC Milan for the remainder of the 2010/11 season on a free transfer.

Van Bommel, who until his departure was captain of Bayern Munich, was not happy with his situation at Bayern as the club was unwilling to renew his contract which was set to run out in the summer and his relationship with coach Louis van Gaal had also cooled over the last few months. And with Bayern Munichs signing 23 year old Brazilian midfielder Luis Gustavo for 17 Million Euros van Bommel's long-term replacement had already arrived at the club.

With van Bommel looking to continue his international career for the Netherlands until the 2012 European Championships he wants to continue playing for a top European side until then at least. And as Bayern weren't willing to offer this to him, his agent was looking for alternatives and over the weekend the Milan option came and van Bommel grabbed it with a move to VfL Wolfsburg the most talked about option over the last few weeks, but it never materialised.

The defensive midfielder had joined the Bavarians in summer 2006 from FC Barcelona. He played in his four and a half years 123 times in the Bundesliga and scored 11 goals for Bayern Munich with whom he won two Bundesliga and German Cup titles each.

Bayern Munich: van Bommel to stay or to leave?

It is one of the biggest rumours of the winter that FC Bayern Munich are trying to get rid of their captain Mark van Bommel whose current contract expires at the end of the season. The Dutch international Mark van Bommel wants to continue playing football at the highest level until summer 2012 as he plans to play for the Netherlands at Euro2012 in Poland and the Ukraine, and thereafter end his international career.

But rumours surrounding van Bommel's name seem to suggest that Bayern Munich have already found a suitable replacement in versatile 23 year old Brazilian Luis Gustavo, who plays for 1899 Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga, and it is only an issue of transfer fee and what the Bavarians can offer Hoffenheim. And there is a rumour that suggests Bayern are offering striker Miroslav Klose plus 10 Million Euros for Luis Gustavo and if the Brazilian joins then van Bommel's place in the starting eleven could be in danger.

Meanwhile 33 year old van Bommel himself is already being linked with a number of clubs across Europe. In Germany rumours say that VfL Wolfsburg are interested to sign the Dutchman to strengthen their fragile midfield and Bayern Munich might do a deal with them to have the first right to sign Wolfsburg striker Edin Dzeko. Meanwhile out of England there is interest from Premier League duo Tottenham Hotspurs and Manchester City, who both could do with a player of the calibre of Mark van Bommel.

Talking to the German newspaper Die Welt Mark van Bommel said, "Anything is possible in football, but it would certainly be something extraordinary if the captain left during the winter break. I do not have to leave Bayern, I am very happy as captain of the club."

But he added, "If the club says that I must remain here for six months, then I have to stay. If the club says, we talk about a new contract in the spring, then I can't do anything about it. I can't leave without the club's consent."

It sounds like a difficult situation for Mark van Bommel as he surely would like to extend his contract until 2012 and not worry where he is playing up to 2012. But Bayern Munich over the last few weeks have been working to ensure their future by extending contracts of Philipp Lahm, Franck Ribery, Thomas Mueller and Bastian Schweinsteiger up to 2015 & 2016. So signing someone like Luis Gustavo would make complete strategic sense.

Don't the Dutch care about injuries?

The KNVB (Royal Dutch Football Association) and their national coach Bert van Marwijk have been heavily criticized over the last few month's by German giants FC Bayern Munich for playing Bayern players in Arjen Robben and Mark van Bommel even when injured and now the Germans could have fellow sufferers in FC Arsenal London as Robin van Persie has been called-up for the Netherlands international friendly on November 17 against Turkey, but the Arsenal star has not played for his club since late August after picking up an injury against Blackburn Rovers.

The issue between KNVB and Bayern Munich has gone to the extend that FIFA and the European Club Association is now involved in the matter as Bayern claim as per Bayern team doctor Dr. Müller-Wohlfarth that Arjen Robben wasn't fit to play in the World Cup, but the Dutch team doctors issued an all okay to use their player in the tournament. Robben had to sit out initial matches, but was then influential to get the Dutch to the final of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, but Robben will surely miss the first half of Bayern's 2010/11 campaign and maybe even more as test after returning from holiday revealed the damage. Now Bayern are claiming compensation in return from the Dutch as Robben got injured while on international duty, which could go into the millions of Euros if Bayern's position is accepted. The KNVB and Bayern are in negotiations to settle the matter out of court.

But while talks were going on with the KNVB last month another Bayern Munich player in captain of the club and national team Mark van Bommel, only half fit at the time, aggrevated his injury while playing for the Dutch and Bayern officials thereafter questioned the commitment of their captain towards his club. They asked the question if van Bommel really cared about Bayern Munich, who pay his wages, and also asking if coach Bert van Marwijk and his staff bothered about the players health and their careers or only their own international matches.

Now a new potential dimension is being added to this issue with winger and striker Robin van Persie. The talented Dutch attacking player is injury prone and hasn't played too many matches for Arsenal or the Dutch national team over the years. And a call-up while still recovering from an injury has to be questioned as van Persie hasn't played a competitive game in over two month's. Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger couldn't understand the decision, which to him is totally illogical as such a friendly like against Turkey has no real value, but if van Persie does get injured then Arsenal would suffer in the coming weeks or maybe even month's.

Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk is said to have stated that he 'doesn't care' about Arsenal medical staff's assessment of van Persie and that his set-up wanted to have a look at the player. That surely is fine, but Wenger will keep fingers crossed that his player comes back not injured to the club.