Munich - Bayern Munich are ready to reduce the size of their squad in the Bundesliga winter break, general manager Uli Hoeness has indicated.

"The squad will certainly be smaller," Sport Bild weekly on Wednesday quoted Hoeness as saying.

Hoeness said players who wanted to stay could do so, "but I assume some players will want to change."

Among candidates to leave are thought to be defenders Andreas Goerlitz, Christian Lell and Breno, and midfielders Jose Ernesto Sosa and Alexander Baumjohann.

Sport Bild speculated that Italy striker Luca Toni and Ukraine midfielder Anatoly Timoschuk, who joined in the summer, might also be keen on leaving.

Hoeness, who at the end of next month moves from the managerial post to succeed Franz Beckenbauer as president, said he had given absolutely no thought to parting with coach Louis van Gaal after an inconsistent start to the season.

"We have a very stable and self-confident coach to whom everyone has to get accustomed. This process is continuing," he said. (dpa)