SOCCER TRANSFER NEWS:BAYERN MUNICH have rejected an opening bid believed to be worth around €47 million from Chelsea for the France winger Franck Ribery in what is likely to prove the first salvo of protracted negotiations in the Londoners' pursuit of the first marquee signing of Carlo Ancelotti's reign at Stamford Bridge.
Bayern confirmed yesterday that a bid had been received and, having fallen well short of the German club’s valuation of the player, reiterated their intention to retain the 26-year-old.
However, Chelsea remain hopeful that they will eventually secure the Frenchman, particularly as Ribery’s other suitors appear to be falling by the wayside. Manchester United have rejected claims from the Bundesliga club’s chairman, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, that they have tabled an offer and Real Madrid have indicated – publicly at least – that they consider the winger overpriced.
Barcelona could yet enter the running for Ribery, though the main barrier to Chelsea securing his services appears to be whether they can persuade Bayern to sell their prized asset, who is under contract until 2011.
“Chelsea have lodged a bid,” said Rummenigge. “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. We are relaxed and proud that we have one of the best three players in the world under contract.”
It remains to be seen whether Jose Bosingwa, signed from Porto last summer for €19.3 million but since identified by Bayern as a potential recruit, could be used as a makeweight in any deal as Chelsea concentrate their efforts on securing Ribery, having seen attempts to lure numerous other high-profile players frustrated.
Kaka joined Madrid for €70 million and preliminary discussions had taken place with Valencia over the Spain striker David Villa, though their asking price proved prohibitive. Indeed Real, too, have since indicated publicly that they are reluctant to meet Valencia’s valuation.
Interest in Milan’s Andrea Pirlo, who had expressed a desire to follow Ancelotti to London, and Alexandre Pato, as well as Sergio Aguero of Atletico Madrid, also appear to have cooled and no attempt will apparently now be made to secure Gennaro Gattuso from the Rossoneri.
Daniel Sturridge and Yuri Zhirkov are still expected to join Chelsea from Manchester City and CSKA Moscow respectively, and negotiations with Internazionale are ongoing over the sales of Ricardo Carvalho and Deco to the Italian club. Inter are understood to have offered the 28-year-old Argentinian defender Nicolas Burdisso in part-exchange, though the Londoners are believed to be resistant to the idea.
Chelsea are braced for confirmation today that they are to lose Didier Drogba to a potential five-match ban from European competition, with Uefa’s control and disciplinary body due to meet to consider four charges brought against the Premier League club and their players following their furious reaction to being eliminated from the Champions League by Barcelona in the semi-final second leg at Stamford Bridge.
Drogba, who is in Ivory Coast for Saturday’s World Cup qualifying match against Burkina Faso, expects to be handed a three-game ban with a further two matches suspended for his reaction after the final whistle following the 1-1 draw with the Spanish side.
The 31-year-old issued a public apology for his actions, as did his team-mate Jose Bosingwa, who had described Ovrebo as “a thief” after the Norwegian failed to award the hosts any of four plausible penalties. Boswinga is facing the prospect of a three-game ban, two of which could be suspended, and Uefa will also address charges against Chelsea for failing to control their players and their supporters, who allegedly threw missiles at the referee as he departed the turf at the end of the game.
Those charges are likely to result in heavy fines. Chelsea, who will not be represented at today’s meeting, will assess the sanctions laid down by Uefa before deciding whether to appeal.
Officials from the London club will sit down with Drogba on his return to pre-season training to discuss a proposed new three-year contract and will also continue talks with their chief scout and director of youth development, Frank Arnesen, over a new deal on his return from the European Under-21 Championship next week. The Dane is expected to sign a rolling one-year contract to remain at Stamford Bridge.
Guardian Service
