Manchester United launch £63m bid for Bayern Munich's Franck Ribéry
• Sir Alex Ferguson to break transfer record for Ribéry
• Deal depends on Cristiano Ronaldo's move to Real Madrid
Manchester United have lined up Franck Ribéry in a world-record £63mtransfer from Bayern Munich. Photograph: John MacDougall/AFP/GettyImages
Manchester United have made an offer of about €70m (£62.5m) for theBayern Munich midfielder Franck Ribéry as they close in on a deal thatwould shatter the world transfer record.
Sources in Munich confirmed the bid has been received for the Franceinternational, who has made his desire to leave Germany known in thepast few weeks. United scouts have repeatedly watched the 26-year-oldin recent Bundesliga matches and sounded out his friends and entouragein Munich.
United's remarkable offer, which comfortably eclipses the record £44mpaid by Real Madrid for Zinedine Zidane in 2001, is contingent on thesale of Cristiano Ronaldo to Madrid this summer but the approach toBayern has been firm enough to suggest that the Portuguese's departureis a near certainty. AlthoughBayern are understood to have turned down United's offer, it isconsidered the first serious move in a negotiation that will eventuallybring the winger to Old Trafford.
Ribéry, who earns €8m a year at the Allianz Arena, the equivalent of£134,000 a week, is set to replace Ronaldo as United's highest-paidplayer. Due to the unfavourable exchange rate and taxation levels inBritain, the Champions League holders, who take on Arsenal in thesemi-final second leg at the Emirates Stadium tonight, will have tospend closer to £145,000 a week to match his net wages at Bayern.Money, however, is not the determining factor for Ribéry. The formerMarseille player, who moved to Munich in 2007 for €25m plus add-ons andis contracted to Bayern until 2011, has repeatedly turned down offersto renegotiate a contract extension on improved terms.
Finishing only 16th in the running for the 2008 Ballon d'Or after aseason in which he had inspired Bayern to a domestic double – "I amdisappointed, I should have deserved better," he said – and his club's5-1 aggregate defeat by Barcelona in the quarter-finals of this year'sChampions League seem to have convinced him that a move to a biggerclub has become necessary.
Bayern's general manager, Uli Hoeness, who has ruled out a sale ofRibéry throughout the season, softened his stance over the weekend. Heconfirmed Bayern were already eyeing up Werder Bremen's Brazilianmidfielder Diego, 24, as a possible replacement "in case Ribéry were togo".
Manchester City, who have included the Frenchman on a short-list oftransfer targets, have been hampered by their lack of Champions Leaguefootball next season and are not seriously in the running.
Barcelona recently came close to an agreement with Ribéry butnegotiations halted when news of their interest was leaked to theFrench press by sources close to the player last week. AlthoughBarcelona have not officially pulled out, United are now best placed toentice Ribéry abroad. Relations between Bayern and United are cordialdespite displeasure at Sir Alex Ferguson's aggressive pursuit of OwenHargreaves in the summer of 2006. The English international moved toOld Trafford for £17m in July 2007.
It is understood that Bayern have rejected Ferguson's first offer but,with the Germans no longer insisting on a prohibitive €150m valuation –"We would perhaps let him go for that," Hoeness was quoted as saying inJanuary – negotiations between the clubs are sufficiently advanced tosuggest an agreement can be reached before the player goes on holidayin June.
In an interview with the French sports paper L'Equipe last week Ribéryindicated that he would leave Bayern if his team did not qualify fornext season's Champions League: "In those circumstances it would indeedbe very difficult to stay, that's obvious... That's why the club has tofinish at least second." Bayern are currently second in the league,three points off the leaders VfL Wolfsburg. Only Germany's top twoteams are guaranteed places in the Champions League.
A hell of a lot of money, and people are bitchin about paying theremaining 22 mil for Tevez. Ribery didnt do much to halt Barca. Goodplayer but this much money is insane (if this article is true!)
