´Hands off Ribery´ Bayern tell Real – report

Bayern Munich president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has upped the stakes in what could become a tug-of-war with Real Madrid for Franck Ribery by saying the France midfielder is not for sale.

“We are very proud to have one of the three best players in the world under contract; it is causing a bit of a stir in the transfer market but we have no intention of selling,” Rummenigge told German tabloid Bild on Tuesday.

Real are currently undergoing a mini revolution and newly-elected president Florentino Perez has already brought Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo and AC Milan playmaker Kaka to the club.

The 26-year-old Ribery, who is contracted to 2011 at the Bavarian giants, is also thought to be a Real target but Bayern’s 60 million-euro price tag is reportedly causing the Spanish side to have second thoughts.

Reports from Madrid on Tuesday said that Ribery could be a Real player by the end of the week.

However the club’s sporting director Jorge Valdano lamented the “astronomical sum” Bayern had attached to the French international.

“There was interest (from Real) in Ribery at a certain point, but Bayern are sticking to a very hard position,” Valdano said.

“They don’t want to sell and that is why they are proposing an astronomic sum.”

According to Rummenigge, three clubs have already tabled concrete offers for Ribery – Chelsea, Manchester United and Barcelona – although he would not say for how much.

The former German international also denied that former France legend Zinedine Zidane, who is now working as an advisor to Perez, had travelled to Munich to talk to Ribery.

“That is not true!” said Rummenigge.

“When Zidane says he has spoken to Ribery, it makes me smile. According to the UEFA regulations it is forbidden.”