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Friday July 31, 2009

Beckenbauer wants a stop to Ribery price-fight

BERLIN: Bayern Munich have increased playmaker Franck Ribery’s price tag to at least �100mil (US$140mil).

The Frenchman’s future at the Bundesliga club has been in doubt for some time after Ribery himself expressed the desire to join Real Madrid despite a contract that runs until 2011.

Pricey: Bayern Munich have put a US$140mil price tag on their French midfielder Franck Ribery to keep him at the club. — AFP

“It was known to everyone we would sell him only before (July) 15,” club manager Uli Hoeness told ZDF television on Wednesday before the start of a friendly match between Bayern and AC Milan.

“We did not get the offer we wanted,” he said. Asked what the desired offer would have been, Hoeness said: “A three-digit figure (in millions). We did not get it.”

Earlier in the day, club president Franz Beckenbauer had set the ball rolling yet again over the Frenchman’s future in Munich, saying Ribery’s value was around �94mil.

Beckenbauer also questioned the 26-year-old’s commitment to the German club and demanded an end to the speculation over his future with the start of the new season only a week away.

“All this noise is not necessary,” Beckenbauer said of the tug-of-war surrounding Ribery.

“Especially not when you have a new coach coming into the team, who wants to prepare it in a calm way and not having to deal with the Ribery issue every day,” the former Bayern player told Sport Bild magazine.

“But should Bayern just give Ribery away? We naturally want what the market demands and if a Cristiano Ronaldo is worth �94mil then Ribery is worth a similar amount.

“And if this is not being offered then he will just have to stay with us as he has a contract until 2011,” Beckenbauer said.

Portugal winger Ronaldo’s move to Real from Manchester United in June was a world record transfer.

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