Hoeness: We were ready sell Ribery

European giants Bayern Munich would have sold Chelsea and Manchester United target Frank Ribery for €100m, according to the club’s general manager Uli Hoeness.

The French midfielder, who was strongly linked with a move to Real Madrid this summer, had made up his mind about leaving Munich as the Spanish giants were keen to make him their fourth galactico signing following the arrivals of Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.

Bayern have, though, managed to hold on to their most prized asset, who earlier this week confirmed he would be staying at the club.

But Hoeness revealed on Wednesday that the Bayern hierarchy had made up their minds to deal for €100m .

He told Sport Bild: “Internally we said yes, from 100m euros we’ll deal. Also that was a defensive measure. We did not think anyone would pay that. We wanted to keep Franck.

“One week before the expiry of our internal deadline we said that to him personally. Therefore he knew that interested clubs still had a week to offer the 100m euros.”

Hoeness admitted there was one day when he thought the valuation would be met.

“Someone said to me there would be an offer of 100m euros coming – but not from Real,” he added. “I had a very bad day. I felt an emptiness in myself, because I had the feeling – now Franck is gone.

“In the evening it emerged that it was a misunderstanding. They wanted to include three players in the sum. When I had heard that I was really happy.”

Despite the determination to keep hold of Ribery this summer, Hoeness claims the club would be happy to let him leave for nothing when his contract expires in 2011, on one condition.

“If we could win the Champions League twice before then, then I would have no problem letting Ribery leave for free,” he said.