Bayern Munich have snatched rising German star Joseph Kimmich from under the noses of Bundesliga rivals VfB Stuttgart.

Highly-rated defensive midfielder Kimmich, 19, a member of Germany's under-19 European championship-winning side, was due to leave RB Leipzig at the end of the season to return to his former club Stuttgart.

But Bayern director of football Matthias Sammer and coach Pep Guardiola had singled Kimmich out as being high on their list of transfer priorities and the club moved in with an undisclosed offer to Stuttgart to allow the player to join the Bavarians instead on July 1 on a five-year contract.