Hamburg - Bayern Munich's Bundesliga title chances are growing in the same way as the uncertainty about the future of captain Mark van Bommel at the club.

The Bild daily reiterated on Tuesday that van Bommel could be leaving when his contract expires after the season.

Talks between the Dutch midfielder and the club are set for December, but Kicker sports magazine also suggested this week that "the tendency at the club is towards departure."

Van Bommel's agent Rob Jansen was quoted by Kicker as saying: "We are waiting for Bayern, for their plans. If they don't want Mark anymore then he will leave. That's football."

Bild has linked van Bommel with Schalke 04 on several occasions and said that he is in constant contact with Schalke coach Fred Rutten. Their paths crossed a few years ago at PSV Eindhoven when van Bommel played there and Rutten was assistant coach.

Rutten did not want to comment, saying only "I know him very well." Van Bommel referred to the upcoming talks with Munich.

Both were seen talking briefly on Sunday when Munich won 2-1 at Schalke.

Van Bommel came to Munich in 2006 from Barcelona and was appointed team captain by new coach Juergen Klinsmann in the summer.

However, Klinsmann benched him for several games over poor form, but van Bommel is now a regular starter again. He is also controversial, though, for his temper which has earned him several red cards.

Van Bommel's fate could depend on whether Munich can sign Ukraine midfielder Anatoliy Tymoshchuk from UEFA Cup holders Zenit St Petersburg. Munich already wanted the 29-year-old in summer, but it is not fully clear whether he is ready to go to Munich.

The Russian season ends in a few weeks and the transfer fee for Tymoshchuk has been estimated at 15 million euros (19.3 million dollars).

Van Bommel may not be the only man out of Munich in the near future.

Kicker said that Munich's board has now agreed to let frustrated Germany forward Lukas Podolski go during the winter break if he can find a club ready to pay a substantial fee. Podolski has been linked with his former club Cologne.

Teenager Toni Kroos may also depart to get more playing time elsewhere after being mostly overlooked by Klinsmann.

Kroos, 18, was fielded more frequently under former coach Ottmar Hitzfeld, who in a newspaper interview on Tuesday named van Bommel "a leader" and said that he wouldn't tell Podolski to move away from Munich.

The Switzerland coach Hitzfeld told the Munich daily tz he was convinced that Bayern will defend the Bundesliga title now that they have overcome a sloppy start to the season with five straight wins for second place, one point behind Bayer Leverkusen and surprise team Hoffenheim.

"Bayern will certainly be top in the end," Hitzfeld said. "It affects the other teams when Bayern win. They know that Bayern are coming back."

"With all respect ... Hoffenheim are no rival for Munich. They don't have enough depth." (dpa)