Barcelona confirms Lahm interest

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo reports that, although the intial deal was to bring in the player in 2009, the almost certain departure of Barcelona right back Gianluca Zambrotta (31) in the coming transfer period, would make Bayern Munich full back Philipp Lahm (24) sign already for Barcelona at the end of this season.

While Bayern is initially asking 15 million euro (°) for the player, the paper thinks the transfer price could drop to 9 million euro (°°), because the contract of the player expires in 2009, which obliges the club to sell this summer if they don't want to see the player leave for free, and because both clubs have good relations.

Meanwhile, Munich tabloid TZ claims that Barcelona has confirmed the interest in the German international.

A spokesperson of Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain is quoted as saying: "Yes, Lahm is on our wish list. We are following the player for years now, but at this moment we can and may not give more details on a possible transfer." The paper says Barcelona has already officially contacted Bayern over Lahm, who is expected to leave at the end of the season unless future Bayern Munich manager Jürgen Klinsmann can convince him to stay.

(read more on the Lahm transfer story here)