Cologne general manager Michael Meier insists the club's dream of bringing in Lukas Podolski "lives on".
The Bayern Munich striker has been strongly linked with a return to his former club this summer after becoming unhappy at his lack of first-team opportunities with the German champions.
But Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, general manager Uli Hoeness and coach Jurgen Klinsmann have repeatedly stressed he will not be sold.
Meier admitted a move for Podolski was not imminent, but claimed the Bundesliga new boys still harbour hopes of bringing him back to the club where he made his name.
"As it stands at the moment Podolski is not coming," he told the Bild newspaper. "The statements from Rummenigge and Hoeness are clear and we respect them.
"Klinsmann also wants to keep hold of him. I can understand Bayern. They have (Luca) Toni and (Miroslav) Klose, whose places are assured. Add to that Podolski, but no more alternatives in attack.
"Yet our dream of Poldi lives on.
"When a player like Podolski is unhappy, that has an impact on his performances. The fact is: Lukas and his family do not feel at home in Munich. I am talking about the town, not the club.
"If he also still plays only rarely, there is a high potential for frustration."
Hoeness also confirmed there is a clause in Podolski's contract, which runs to 2010, which gives Cologne first refusal on the player.
He told Munich-based newspaper tz: "Let's say Manchester United offer 20 million for Lukas and we want to let him go.
"Then we also have to offer him to Cologne for 20 million. And they can then say: 'Good, we'll take him for 20 million'."
Hoeness insisted though the clause could in no way force Bayern into a sale they did not want.
"Cologne have to offer the same price, which we will get from somewhere else," he added.
"If the player then says that he prefers to go to Cologne, then the clause takes effect.
"But it is not a disadvantage for us. The clause is worth nothing at all. If Cologne could fall back on the player any time, it would be dangerous. But here it is only the case if we let the player go."
