We will fight for Schweinsteiger, says Bayern chairman

Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said Wednesday he will fight to keep Germany star Bastian Schweinsteiger when contract negotiations resume at the end of the month.

The 24-year-old failed to agree terms with Bayern last May and after an impressive Euro 2008 campaign, where 'Schweini' helped Germany reach the final, Rummenigge wants to extend his current deal which runs until June 2009.

“We will try hard to keep him,” Rummenigge said ahead of Bayern's opening Champions League match in Romania against Steaua Bucharest on Wednesday.

With Franck Ribery occupying Schweinsteiger's preferred left wing berth at Bayern, the German star may have reason to leave Munich, but Rummenigge says he will be at his most persuasive when talks resume next week.

And club bosses have another reason to be concerned: Schweinsteiger is learning Italian.

Schweinsteiger has expressed an interest in playing overseas and broadening his horizons, and there will be no shortage of clubs — Italian or otherwise — interested in signing him.