Bayern Munich star Franck Ribery will defy reputed interest from Manchester United and Chelsea by trying to engineer a move to Real Madrid, after the forward admitted he wanted to join the La Liga giants.
The French international this morning publicly expressed his wish to play at the Bernabeu just a day after his international colleague Karim Benzema agreed to join Florentino Perez’s ambitious project in the La Liga.
Ribery told French Daily L’Equipe: “It is decided, I want to leave.”
When asked whether he would be leaving to join Real Madrid, the former Marseille forward replied: “Yes, it will be Madrid or nothing.”
“We will see how things go, I must hold discussions with Bayern Munich first.”
Ribery’s public admission will be a huge blow to the Bavarian giant’s ambitions to retain the Bundesliga, yet the club’s General manager Uli Hoeness, suggested a deal was a long way off, and by no means a formality.
Hoeness told L’Equipe: “Franck wants to go to Real? For us, this does absolutely nothing. Life is not always a fairy tale.”
“We have never received a concrete proposal from Real Madrid. Real’s hierarchy have wanted to come to Munich to discuss a deal but we have said no, they would be better of saving the money for the flights.”
“We do not need Real’s money and will keep him against all-odds.”
Reports this morning suggested Manchester United would step up their interest in the highly coveted star following their failure to land Lyon striker Karim Benzema.