Bayern Munich manager Thomas Tuchel gave a blunt response to a question linking Tottenham’s Eric Dier to the German giants.

Dier was not included in the Spurs squad for their 1-0 win in the FA Cup over Burnley, and Ange Postecoglou insisted afterwards that the defender was injured, despite Bayern’s reported interest in the 29-year-old, who is out of favour in North London.

Tuchel was quizzed about the potential move, and had a slightly humorous response to the way that the question was phrased – without giving anything away.

He refused to comment on the potential move, adding: ‘Have you already asked the sporting director? There will be no comment from me.’

Thomas Tuchel gave a blunt reply when asked about Eric Dier’s potential move to Bayern

Dier was excluded from the Spurs squad on Friday, but Ange Postecoglou said he was injured

Some fans took Tuchel’s comments to mean that Dier’s move was not his idea, but that of more senior officials at Bayern.  

On Friday night following the FA Cup win, Spurs boss Postecoglou insisted that he knew nothing about Dier’s links to Bayern Munich, and told a reporter not to question his integrity.

Asked about Dier, Postecoglou said: ‘Yeah, he’s injured. He just pulled up sore, didn’t train yesterday.’

Pressed on the links between Dier and Bayern Munich, he said: ‘Separate issue, mate, but don’t question my integrity when I say he’s injured. He’s injured, didn’t train yesterday. 

‘Ask him, but he was injured, got nothing to do with anything else. 

‘I’ve got no idea [about Bayern]. It’s of no interest. When you ask me whether he’s injured, he’s injured. Like I didn’t make that up. 

‘If he wasn’t injured, I’d say to you he wasn’t selected. It’s easier for me to say. He’s injured and in terms of anything else that’s happening, not on my radar, not that I’ve heard of. 

‘And if there is something, I’m sure we’ll hear of it, but fair to say last 24 hours we’ve been focusing on the game and the guys who are available.’

Bayern are currently looking for defensive reinforcements, with Mail Sport previously reporting that Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah is also on their list, although the 24-year-old Blues star is currently working his way back to full fitness. 

Chalobah has worked with Tuchel before at Chelsea, but would ultimately cost Bayern more, which is why the German side were hoping for a loan deal.

Postecoglou told a reporter not to question his integrity when he insisted that Dier was injured

Dier has fallen out of favour at Tottenham, playing just four games under Postecoglou so far

Dier has had interest from clubs in France as well as England, but some have been hoping he is handed a free transfer this window, with his Spurs deal at the end of the season. 

The experienced defender has played just four games for Spurs this term, and did not feature at all under Postecoglou until the start of November.  

Tottenham have reached an agreement with RB Leipzig to bring former Chelsea forward Timo Werner in on loan until the end of the current campaign.