Man United join race to sign Ribery
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Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has claimed Manchester United, Chelsea and Barcelona have all made offers for France playmaker Franck Ribery.
Ribery is also a target for big-spending Real Madrid but Rummenigge revealed three of their European rivals have stolen a march in their pursuit of the 26-year-old.
Asked if Madrid had made an offer, Rummenigge said: "No but other clubs have done. Chelsea have lodged a bid, as have Manchester United and Barcelona."
However, Rummenigge insisted the Bundesliga giants were determined to keep hold of Ribery and would not cash in on their prize asset despite all the high profile interest in the player.
"Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and his advisor Pedro Jimenez asked if we were willing to speak with them over a transfer but we rejected the chance and we have no intention of selling Ribery," the former Germany international told Bild.
"We are relaxed and proud that we have one of the best three players in the world under contract. The power lies with Bayern Munich."
He added: "I don't want to talk about sums of money because it is not in our interest. The amount is irrelevant."
"There is always going to be the perception that Bayern Munich are trying to push the price up and that there is a certain value at which we'll have to accept, but I'll say it again: we want to keep Ribery.
"A player has to respect his contract, in his case until 2011. He is on holiday now and then we want to have a successful season with Franck next year."
Earlier this year Bayern general manager Uli Hoeness slapped a £126m price tag on Ribery, in light of Manchester City's unsuccessful £100m offer to AC Milan for Kaka in January, saying: "If Kaka is meant to be worth €120m, then Franck Ribery is worth €150m."
Hoeness later said that £40m would not be enough to buy one of Ribery's legs and with Real Madrid having spent £56m on Kaka and agreeing a world-record £80m fee with Manchester United for Cristiano Ronaldo, Bayern consider £70m to be an achievable fee for the former Marseille player.
Ribery is also a target for big-spending Real Madrid but Rummenigge revealed three of their European rivals have stolen a march in their pursuit of the 26-year-old.
Asked if Madrid had made an offer, Rummenigge said: "No but other clubs have done. Chelsea have lodged a bid, as have Manchester United and Barcelona."
However, Rummenigge insisted the Bundesliga giants were determined to keep hold of Ribery and would not cash in on their prize asset despite all the high profile interest in the player.
"Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and his advisor Pedro Jimenez asked if we were willing to speak with them over a transfer but we rejected the chance and we have no intention of selling Ribery," the former Germany international told Bild.
"We are relaxed and proud that we have one of the best three players in the world under contract. The power lies with Bayern Munich."
He added: "I don't want to talk about sums of money because it is not in our interest. The amount is irrelevant."
"There is always going to be the perception that Bayern Munich are trying to push the price up and that there is a certain value at which we'll have to accept, but I'll say it again: we want to keep Ribery.
"A player has to respect his contract, in his case until 2011. He is on holiday now and then we want to have a successful season with Franck next year."
Earlier this year Bayern general manager Uli Hoeness slapped a £126m price tag on Ribery, in light of Manchester City's unsuccessful £100m offer to AC Milan for Kaka in January, saying: "If Kaka is meant to be worth €120m, then Franck Ribery is worth €150m."
Hoeness later said that £40m would not be enough to buy one of Ribery's legs and with Real Madrid having spent £56m on Kaka and agreeing a world-record £80m fee with Manchester United for Cristiano Ronaldo, Bayern consider £70m to be an achievable fee for the former Marseille player.
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