BERLIN, July 29, 2008 (AFP) - Germany international striker Mario Gomez has poured cold water on speculation about a summer transfer to German giants Bayern Munich by insisting Tuesday he wants to stay at VfB Stuttgart.

The 23-year-old is under contract at Stuttgart until 2012, but defending Bundesliga champions Bayern are reported to be interested in signing him.

'I have a contract with Stuttgart which runs until 2012 and I never said I wanted to leave the club this summer,' he said on his website.

'There has been plenty of speculation in recent weeks and I wanted to make my feelings clear: I belong to this team.'

Gomez went into June's Euro 2008 as one of Germany's first-choice strikers, but lost his place in the starting line-up.

That has not curbed Bayern's interest in signing him with their chairman of the board Karl-Heinz Rummenigge publicly stating their interest.

'Of course, the interest expressed by one of the biggest clubs in Europe is a huge honour for me,' said Gomez.