17 June,2009 03:50 PM IST | | AFP
Not content with adding Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka to their ranks, Real Madrid are ready to shell out another 55 million euros for French international Franck Ribery, amid signs from his club Bayern Munich a deal could be envisaged.
"Franck Ribery will play for Real Madrid and be (chairman) Florentio Perez's third big money signing of the summer," Spanish sports daily AS reported without giving any sources for its information.
But after meeting top advisors Zinedine Zidane and Jorge Valdano, Perez is ready to "battle" for Ribery's signature, AS stated, as Real bid to add another top name following the 93 million euro capture of Ronaldo from Manchester United and Kaka from AC Milan for 65 million.
According to Valdano, Real, who were overshadowed last year by Liga and Champions League winners Barcelona, "need another four or five players" if they are to overhaul their rivals and think of capturing a tenth European crown.
Valdano says Bayern are chasing "an astronomic sum" for Ribery but according to the German outfit's eminence grise Franz Beckenbauer a transfer could be envisaged "if he really wants to leave."
Beckenbauer told Sport Bild magazine: "We all agree - if he really wants to leave we will deal with that problem."
And Sport Bild headlined with the words "The Frenchman can go."
Back in June, Beckenbauer had commented that there were "two options - Ribery extends his contract to lay to rest the transfer issue or we let him go. The only problem is if Ribery wants to go. Then it will be difficult to hang on to him."
But only on Tuesday, Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told Bild daily that the club had "no intention" of selling the player, who cost 25 million euros from Marseille two years ago.
