Bayer Leverkusen have ruled out any possibility of resigning Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov.
The Bulgarian has announced his intention to leave the Red Devils this summer following a season spent largely on the sidelines.
He recently signed a new one-year contract at Old Trafford, which means that he is no longer available on a free transfer, and this has ended Leverkusen's interest in offering the 31-year-old a return to the Bundesliga.
Chief executive Wolfgang Holzhauer told German newspaper Rheinische Post: "We are looking to find a striker, one that works well alongside Stefan Kiessling. However, the return of Berbatov is not an option for us.
"We are still on good terms with him but he would only be an option if he was available on a free transfer."
Berbatov spent five seasons with Leverkusen between 2001 and 2006.