Thursday, October 2 2008 -- German powerhouse and former European champions Bayern Munich have been linked with a move to sign the Zenit St. Petersburg striker Pogrebnyak in January when the winter transfer window opens.

Pogrebnyak is currently playing for last season's UEFA Cup winners Zenit, who are featuring in the UEFA Champions League this season. But the 24-year old striker has always admired Bayern and it seems that he is eager to join the Bavarians as early as January 2009.

The former Tom Tomsk man himself acknowledges the fact that he and Bayern have been in contact with each other and admitted:

""When I was a child my father gave me a jersey with number 18 on it - a Jürgen Klinsmann one - as a gift. I've always paid a lot of attention to German football. I also like Borussia Dortmund."

Pogrebnyak was last season's joint topscorer along with Italian international striker Luca Toni (also playing for Bayern this season) in the UEFA Cup last season. But there could be more convulations to this transfer story as Pogrebnyak has also said that his playing style would suit Spanish football too.