FCB - Transfer Talk

[simaozinho200]

yeah but why would have luca gone to bryern because they have not been doing so well in europe

[D-Kin]

At least they're in Europe, Fiorentina aren't at the moment and are unlikely to be next season as well.

[D-Kin]

Toni wants to stay with Fiorentina.

channel4.com - Football Italia

[Oliver_Kahn]

Bayern already signed Schlaudraff, so I prefer that Bayern concentrate on renewing with Pizarro and looking for a playmaker, rather than spend 30m € in another striker.

[Oliver_Kahn]

Bayern general manager Uli Hoeneß and Olympique Marseille President Pape Diouf, good acquaintances from innumerable UEFA and G-14 meetings in the past, were spotted deep in conversation more than once during Monday morning's news conference to mark the opening of the inaugural Mohammad bin Rashid International Football Championship. One possible topic of conversation will have been the German champions' official interest in Marseilles starlet Franck Ribéry.

"Olympique value the fact we've always behaved in an entirely proper manner very highly," Hoeneß revealed afterwards. "We didn't approach the player directly, we made contact through the official channels." The Munich giants unsuccessfully enquired after the France international last summer.

Hopes for Deisler

Hoeneß has now confirmed Bayern's continuing interest in the attacking midfielder. "Ribéry is a player who interests us, but he's not number one or two on our list," the board director explained. Any move for the Frenchman would be dependent on Sebastian Deisler's progress. "If Sebastian manages to come back the way he indicated before Christmas, we'd have less reason to sign Franck Ribéry."

Naturally, any deal depends on Olympique and Ribéry himself. "We have an excellent relationship with Bayern Munich, but that doesn't mean Franck Ribéry is on his way to Munich," Pape Diouf declared. "The player would need to agree to a transfer as well."

Waiting for a sign

"Ribéry has told me in the clearest possible terms that he wants to help our club hit its targets in the first instance. We'll see what happens after that," Diouf continued. No decision had been taken regarding the player, whose contract in the south of France runs until 2010. "And naturally, we'd be looking for the best possible fee," the Olympique President acknowledged.

Bayern would wait and see how the situation unfolds, Hoeneß explained. "We've not yet spoken to the player, because that would be an illegal approach. It can only happen after we receive a signal from Marseilles that they're ready to talk, and if we feel we need to make a move from a sporting point of view. We sit back and wait."

Marseilles pledge

Should the French club decide to sell, Bayern would be among the first to know, Hoeneß revealed. "Diouf has made me a promise: before they take a final decision, they'll talk to us." The general manager will undoubtedly run across the President and his prize asset at various points over the next few days, as Bayern and Olympique are quartered in the same Dubai hotel.

Hoeneß confirms interest in France star Ribéry

[Oliver_Kahn]

I'm not a fan of Ribery, but Bayern do need a new quality winger and Ribery seems good.

[Oliver_Kahn]

Bayern Munich coach Felix Magath has admitted his admiration for Arjen Robben as speculation in Germany links Owen Hargreaves with Chelsea.

Rumours are rife that Chelsea could deliberately upset Manchester United's plan to sign Hargreaves by bringing the England international to Stamford Bridge.

Ironically, Robben was the subject of a similar transfer hijack by the Premiership champions but the Dutch winger is potential bait in any deal.

"He is a very good player," said Magath of Robben to Bild. "He can score with his left foot and his right foot."

Although Hargreaves wants to move to Manchester to be closer to his family's roots, it is believed Bayern are frustrated with Sir Alex Ferguson's public courting of a key member of their team who is under contract until 2010.

Hence, the Bundesliga giants could attempt to include Hargreaves in any bid for Robben, knowing that they have an unhappy player on their hands.

Quite where Jose Mourinho, whose own future is the subject for much debate on Friday, would fit another defensive midfielder into his squad is another matter although Claude Makelele is not getting any younger.

Mourinho, said to be house-hunting in Milan, is quoted in Friday's edition of The Sun as telling a 'close pal': "That's it - I'm going at the end of the season."

Bayern fancy Robben - Football - Eurosport

[Oliver_Kahn]

I would like to see Robben at München.

We need a new winger and Robben would a great signing.

[Oliver_Kahn]

As much as I like Robben, I think that Bayern siging Ribery is much more likely than signing Robben

[Oliver_Kahn]

Fitness coach Werner Leuthard again took charge of the squad workout on Friday morning, supervising a series of routines designed to strengthen the players' stomach, back, thigh and upper body muscles. The stars sweated through a gruelling 45-minute session at the Dubai Royal Palace sports facility, but aside from the focus on fitness, Felix Magath has begun feverishly working away on his potential first-choice line-up, aware that only two weeks remain before the Bundesliga action resumes.

The two Dubai Cup matches offered the opportunity to test a variety of midfield formations. "We played with our customary diamond shape against Benfica," the boss remarked, although the Reds lined up with two holding midfielders against Olympique Marseille. "Surprisingly, we looked better going forward than in defence. You'd expect it to be the other way round," he observed.

Thinking in pairs

Magath also surveyed his options up front and at the back in the two friendly matches. At centre-half, Daniel van Buyten and Martin Demichelis started against Lisbon, with the Belgian paired with Lucio against Marseille. The coach announced he would also take a look at Lucio and Demichelis together in an upcoming friendly.

The story was the same in attack, where Roy Makaay and Roque Santa Cruz joined forces for a half against Lisbon, before giving way to Claudio Pizarro and Lukas Podolski. Pizarro partnered Santa Cruz in the first half against Marseille, before Makaay and Podolski took over for the second period. "I'm watching closely. I have to decide which players fit best together," the 53-year-old explained.

Healthy competition

Naturally, the try-outs have had the effect of igniting a battle for places. "I have four strikers, all at approximately the same level. It's going to be a tough choice," Magath reflected. However, the internal competition is undoubtedly healthy, especially in terms of invigorating daily training. The knowledge that places are up for grabs inspires the players to give the final few percent, the coach observed, "and I'm totally satisfied with everyone's commitment."

"The match against Marseille demonstrated the lads' determination to squeeze the last drop out of themselves," captain Oliver Kahn remarked approvingly. Bayern turned a 3-1 deficit into a 4-3 winning margin with a furious last seven minutes. "Morale is absolutely fine," declared Kahn - a man whose regular starting berth is not in question.

[Oliver_Kahn]

I'll give Magath a first-choice line-up:

.........................Kahn
Sagnol.....Buyten....Lucio......Lahm
..........................Ottl
.......................Bommel
Salihamidzic.....................Schweini
.............Makaay.....Pizarro

[Oliver_Kahn]

Willy Sagnol has announced that Bayern Munich are still tracking Marseille winger Franck Ribery.

Ribery attracted interest from several of the continent's top clubs following an impressive World Cup in the summer, and he has continued to be linked with a move away from Marseille.

Sagnol urged his French compatriot to join him at Bayern following a recent clash between the sides in Dubai.

And he is now confident Bayern will step in with a bid for Ribery, following the retirement of midfielder Sebastian Deisler earlier this week.

Sagnol feels Ribery is the man to replace Deisler, and believes he will find Bayern difficult to turn down.

"Franck is a real objective for Bayern" Sagnol told Le Parisien.

"The club has been following him since his debut with Marseille.

"But be aware that I don't want to influence Franck's decision. His choice will be personal.

"I just told him about Bayern and of how great it was to play for this club.

"Nobody can be indifferent to interest from Bayern."

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[Oliver_Kahn]

I'm not a big fan of Ribery, but we need a new winger and he seems like a good signing.

[Oliver_Kahn]

Felix Magath awarded most of his players a day off on Monday, but the Säbener Strasse training ground was still a hive of activity. With four days remaining until Bayern resume league action in Dortmund, a clutch of players recovering from minor injury including Willy Sagnol, Martin Demichelis and Owen Hargreaves were joined by youngsters Michael Rensing, Thomas Kraft and Stefan Fürstner for a 90-minute workout.

Lukas Podolski was again absent, with the striker now rated increasingly doubtful for Friday's pivotal clash at the Westfalen stadium. fcbayern.de asked head coach Magath to assess his team's state of readiness, and offer a final verdict on the mid-season training programme.

Interview: Felix Magath

fcbayern.de: Felix Magath, you've just come back from a celebrity cook-off in Berlin. Did you enjoy trying your hand at something a little unusual?

Felix Magath: "Yes, working at a hot stove with that kind of artist and watching them cook was certainly something different. I had a lot of fun."

fcbayern.de: What was on the menu?

Magath: "We had cordon-bleu rolls on skewers, completely new to me, but very tasty and easy to eat. And we had stuffed chicken breast, which was also very good."

fcbayern.de: Tasty and very good are descriptions you could apply to your team's performance in beating Hamburg on Saturday, at least in the first half. Have you hit on the right recipe to defend the Bundesliga title?

Magath: "Overall, I'm pleased to say our mid-season programme went very, very well. With the exception of Saarbrucken, we played three friendlies against high-quality opponents, and we did ourselves credit on each occasion. The game in Hamburg, which provided very similar conditions to what we can expect this Friday in Dortmund, showed we're right up to speed. So we can say with confidence that we've prepared well, and I firmly believe we'll make a good start."

fcbayern.de: Have you already decided on your starting line-up for Dortmund?

Magath: "We'll turn our full attention to Dortmund on Tuesday. We have two more training sessions before the match, which give us an opportunity to work on our tactics. But there won't be any wholesale changes to the team at this late stage."

fcbayern.de: One or two players have picked up injuries recently. What's the situation regarding Willy Sagnol and the rest?

Magath: "The injury situation continues to improve. Willy trained well at the weekend, and he's determined to play on Friday. He's definitely a little further on than Owen or Roque, and it does look as though he'll appear in Dortmund. We'll have to wait and see with Owen. He's still behind in terms of fitness after his long lay-off. It could be tight. On the other hand, Martin Demichelis should be part of it, provided no new problems arise. He did very well today."

fcbayern.de: The only major doubt concerns Lucas Podolski, who missed training again today.

Magath: "He went for a jog on his own, but we'll simply have to wait and see how it goes with him recovering from a dead leg over the next few days. Obviously it's especially difficult for a striker if he's not totally fit."

fcbayern.de: Can we expect to see arrivals or departures before the transfer window closes on 31 January? The board has given Ali Karimi permission to move back to his former club, for example.

Magath: "No, I'm assuming we'll go in pursuit of our targets - retaining the league championship and performing well in the Champions League - with the squad we have at the moment."

fcbayern.de: All the best for the rest of the season, and thanks for talking to us!