Barcelona bid for Ribery

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona has made a bid for Bayern Munich attacker and French international Franck Ribéry (26).

Barcelona would have offered Bayern Munich a transfer fee of 40 million euro°, with the option to include players in the deal. The German club is yet to reply. Ribéry and his agent would also have been informed about the offer.

Ribéry's agent Alain Migliaccio is meanwhile unconfirmedly quoted as saying a few days ago in an interview with Monaco radio station RMC that the Frenchman can at the highest cost 50 million euro: "If you see that Kaká has been signed for 67 million, you cannot ask more than 50 million for a player who never has won the Champions League and never was between the top players on the list of the FIFA world player of the year."

Asked about the rumours linking Ribéry with several European top clubs, Bayern Munich general manager Uli Hoeness said in an interview with Munich tabloid TZ that they are reluctant to sell unless: "We have said that we will only negotiate under certain conditions. Namely, when the other club wants to do crazy things." The tabloid claims that Bayern will only consider a bid of well over 60 million euro.

Read more:
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Ribery confirms Barcelona interest

Asked about the rumours linking him with a move to Barcelona (read more here), Bayern Munich wing attacker and French international Franck Ribéry (25) is quoted as saying in an interview with German sports weekly paper Sport Bild that he knows about the interest:

"I know that Barcelona wants me. I use to talk regularly with my agent. I feel honoured but at this moment I'm only thinking about Bayern.

I feel very comfortable at this club although it's true that I have said that I don't see myself staying until 2011 when my contract expires because many clubs are interested to sign me. There have already been offers by Barcelona, Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City. And it wasn't me who forced them to move."

In an interview with Munich tabloid TZ, Ribery said: "At this moment I'm not thinking about a transfer. I feel very good in Munich, the people like me, I like the fans, there's a good atmosphere among the players, so everything is fine. I don't know what cen happen in the summer but now I'm only thinking about what we can win with the team this season. I'm interested in nothing else.

But when people start speculating about my future, I can't do anything about that, that's not my fault. There are a lot of European clubs I dream of. But I repeat: I feel excellent in Munich. I have a contract until 2011. Everyone treats me and my family well. I feel at home here. What will happen next season, nobody knows. It's far too early to talk about that. I sure won't worry about my own future. We'll see..."

Asked about the presumed interest of AC Milan, Real Madrid and Barcelona, Ribéry said last week in an interview with French paper Le Monde: "So Barça is interested? (laughs) All the clubs you're mentioning make you dream but I feel very good at Bayern. I have a contract with the club until 2011. Everyone is good towards me and my German is getting better. I feel at home. On the other hand, I cannot stay indifferent when those big clubs ask for me. We will see what will happen... "

Catalan sports paper Sport claims that Barcelona sports director Txiki Begiristain is convinced that Ribéry could be the missing piece on the left wing. Bayern would have accepted that the Frenchman will probably leave this summer and the German club will start listening to offers soon. Because Bayern Munich president Franz Beckenbauer wouldn't be pleased with the way Real Madrid is acting on the transfer market, he would prefer to sell Ribéry to Barcelona.

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Lahm close to Bayern renewal

It seems that a telephone converstation with future Bayern manager Jürgen Klinsmann two weeks ago, has convinced Bayern Munich full back defender Philipp Lahm (24) to extend his current contract with the German club, that expires in 2009.

In an interview with Munich tabloid TZ, the German international says the negotiations with Bayern Munich general manager Uli Hoeness about a renewal are ongoing: "Last week we started the talks. I can well imagine that we will find an agreement next week." Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge confirmed the talks to the paper and added that he also has a good feeling about the outcome.

Philipp Lahm is considered to be one of the top candidates to replace Barcelona right back Ginaluca Zambrotta (31) as of next season. The German earlier refused several renewal offers from Bayern and stated he would like to play for a foreign team.

(read everything on the Lahm transfer story here)

Bayern not planning to let Lucio go

Bayern Munich central defender Lúcio (29) has said in an interview with Munich tabloid TZ that some people misunderstood the rumours linking him with Barcelona and that nothing has been signed yet. The Brazilian international nevertheless says his dream is to play in Spain: "An offer from a club like Barcelona is the biggest thing for every player. If a concrete offer comes, I would want to go. I know it wouldn't be easy to leave this club but every problem has a solution. I think that a transfer could also be to the advantage of Bayern."

Meanwhile, Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told in an interview with German weekly sports paper Sport Bild that the club doesn't want to let go top players like Lúcio: "It's a known fact that he has a contract until 2010 and we don't plan to let him leave before that date."

(read everything on the Lucio transfer story here)

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)