Club director warns interested parties.
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Bayer Leverkusen director Michael Reschke has insisted that the club will be able to fend off any interest that may come their way for prized young midfielder Lars Bender during the January transfer window, Sky Sports reports.
The Germany international has made 114 appearances for the club since joining the club from TSV Munchen in 2009.
The highly rated centre midfielder has become a regular face in the Leverkusen starting line up and his recent performances have reportedly attracted the interest of a number of Premier League sides.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger had seen a bid turned down for the player during the summer transfer window, but he is apparently keen to revive his interest in Bender during the January window once that reopens.
However, Reschke insists the player is under contract and remains confident he will still be at the BayArena come February.
“Lars Bender is under contract with our club, he is a regular first-team player and very important part of our first-team squad,” he said.
“We have a long-term contract going on with him. We definitely have no ambition to see Lars. This is a fact.”
The 24-year-old, who also has a twin brother, Sven, who plays for Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund, is under contract with Leverkusen until the summer of 2017.