Bayern dismisses Ribery and Hleb rumours

Asked about the rumours linking Bayern Munich wing attacker and French international Franck Ribéry (25) with a move to Barcelona and other rumours linking Belarus international Alexander Hleb (27) with a move to Bayern Munich (read more here), Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has said in an interview with German television channel Premiere that none of the two transfers will happen this summer:

"We will not release a player like Ribery, who still has two and a half years left on his contract. Ribéry is a spectacular, efficient and succesful player. He's the fans' favourite. You don't sell a player like that, you keep him.

As for the story about Hleb coming our way, there's no truth at all in those rumours. We are not in contact with the player, Barcelona or the player's agent. That story is totally fake and based upon nothing."

Read more:
Deal with Ribery and pre-agreement with Bayern
Hleb honoured by Bayern interest
Hleb could be part of Ribery deal

Bayern ready to sell Ribery in the summer

Asked about the rumours linking Bayern Munich wing attacker and French international Franck Ribéry (25) with several European top clubs among which Barcelona (read more here), Bayern Munich president Franz Beckenbauer has said in an interview with German television channel Premiere that a transfer is not impossible:

"Of course I prefer to keep Ribéry for many more years. And Bayern will do everything to make that happen. But at the same time the player only has a contract until 2011 and he even could move sooner.

The players are more powerfull than the clubs in modern football. Clubs cannot keep a player against his will because in the end the players always win those disputes. So if he really wants to join Real Madrid or another team, we will have to let him go."

Read more:
Ribery or Gourcuff to replace Henry next summer
Hleb could already leave this summer
Ribery and Lahm approached by Begiristain

Bayern didn't speak its last word on Lahm

Despite the club withdrawing a renewal offer earlier this week (read more here), Bayern Munich president Franz Beckenbauer has said in an interview with German television channel Premiere that no final decision has been made on the future of Bayern Munich full back Philipp Lahm (24) and that he still hopes the German international can stay at the club: "Lahm has made an offer, which in the opinion of the Bayern board was a little high. But it would be great if he nevertheless could stay. He is a Bayern boy, who fits in very well here and who has proved to be a world class player."

The contract of Lahm, who is a serious option to replace Barcelona right back Gianluca Zambrotta (31) in the summer, expires in 2009 and the player has declared that he would like to leave for a European top club (read more here). Beckenbauer acknowledges that Lahm couldn't be blamed if he would accept a big offer from a European top club and move abroad.

Read more:
Lahm will leave for Spain or England
No Bayern renewal for Lahm
Alves doesn't exclude Lahm