Thomas Muller ignites transfer speculation after praising Louis van Gaal

Thomas Muller's comments regarding his former boss, Louis van Gaal, might leave his loyal Bayern Munich fans feeling a tad worrisome the striker is set for a transfer to the Dutch manager's new team, Manchester United.

The World Cup-winning footballer spoke glowingly of the unique friendship he shares with Van Gaal following the two years the pair spent together at Bayern.

“It’s a secret for nobody,” Muller told Simon Rice of the Independent. "Louis van Gaal and I have a relationship that goes beyond that which is normal between a player and a coach."

Muller got his first opportunity to play first-team football under Van Gaal's guidance in 2009. The pair went on to win a trio of trophies, including in the Bundesliga, where Van Gaal became the first Dutch manager to capture Germany's top-flight crown.

Muller, however, went on to declare his dedication to the Bundesliga club, saying that he will honour the contract extension he signed with Bayern last summer.

Speculation about a possible exit persisted throughout the summer after Germany captured the 2014 World Cup trophy, but faded once the 25-year-old inked a new deal that will keep him at the Allianz Arena until 2017.

It appears gossip is beginning to ramp up again with the summer transfer window on the horizon and Bayern's string of poor performances to end the year.

Bayern face a monumental task of overcoming Barcelona's 3-0 advantage when they host the Spanish club Tuesday.