Italian want-away striker Luca Toni can leave German giants Bayern Munich in the January transfer window, coach Louis van Gaal said Thursday, but club bosses are hoping the pair can be reconciled.
Toni earned himself a €25,000 fine on Wednesday for telling the Italian media his relationship with van Gaal “is as good as over” following just four league appearances since the Dutchman took over in July.
With his 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ place on the line, Toni has said he wants to return to Italy during the Bundesliga’s winter break in January in a bid to win back his place in the national team. “The player has indicated he wants away. Then he must look for a club,” van Gaal told German channel Sat 1 after Bayern’s 1-0 win over Maccabi Haifa in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday night.
Bayern’s team manager Uli Hoeness - who was set to replace Franz Beckenbauer as president of the German giants at the club’s AGM on Thursday - said Toni’s behaviour must change, but is hopeful the pair can patch up their differences. Read more…
In-demand Russia boss Guus Hiddink is being tipped for the Bayern Munich hot seat amid growing unrest at the Bundesliga giants.
Louis van Gaal could lose his job if the German side are knocked out of the Champions League on Wednesday night.
Bayern are third in Group A with just four points from four games as they prepare to face Israeli side Maccabi Haifa. Things are not much better in the German league, in which Van Gaal’s seventh-placed side have won just five of 13 matches.
The poor performance has led to criticism of former Barcelona boss Van Gaal from directors and senior players such as Philipp Lahm.
Bayern accept that star player Franck Ribery and others may leave if they cannot compete with Europe’s finest and former Chelsea boss Hiddink has been identified as the man to turn around their fortunes. Read more…
Bayern Munich general manager Uli Hoeness says Franck Ribery will leave the club if he does not believe they are ambitious enough. Read more…
In a surprise move, Lucio has terminated his contract with Bayern Munich in order to join Inter, announced the German club.
“After a trophy-laden five-year spell at Bayern, Brazil captain Lucio is leaving Munich to join Italian champions Inter Milan,” read a statement on their website.
“On Thursday, the centre-half and the FCB board of directors agreed to cancel the player’s contract ahead of its scheduled expiry on 30 June 2010.
“The 31-year-old, who will sign a three-year deal with the north Italian club coached by Jose Mourinho, moves for an undisclosed fee.”
Lucio has been with Bayern since joining from Bayer Leverkusen in 2004, taking the Bundesliga and Cup double in 2005, 2006 and 2008. Read more…
The three most sought after players in the world are in varying states of transition, and a lot can happen between now, the end of the current season and the summer when any number of world-class players will be trading one top team’s kit for another. But a report in The Guardian on Tuesday that Manchester United has offered €70 million … £62.5 million … $93.7 million (a staggering amount of money in any currency) for Bayern Munich midfielder Franck Ribery should Cristiano Ronaldo leave Old Trafford for Real Madrid has added a new urgency to the pontification. Read more…
The long wait to decide the future of Franck Ribery could soon be over after the player’s agent revealed that the Frenchman wants to sign for Real Madrid. Ribery has his pick of Europe’s top clubs this summer, but appears set on a move to the Bernabeu.
Real Madrid and Barcelona head the queue for the midfielder, but agent Alan Miglaccio says that the Bayern star has been persuaded that joining Madrid would be a better option by compatriot Zinedine Zidane, who now works for Los Merengues.
Bayern have previously stated that they do not want to sell Ribery and, although the club’s board and officials are currently on their holidays, a deal appears to be edging closer.
“Ribery would prefer to play for Real Madrid ahead of Barcelona,” Miglaccio told RAC-1. “The player has spoken with Zinedine Zidane and wants to sign for Los Merengues. Read more…
Bayern Munich have reacted angrily to a report that stated that the club could be prepared to sell Franck Ribery should they receive a high enough bid.
The Bundesliga giants were incensed that Sport BILD magazine ran a cover story that quoted the chairman of the club’s Supervisory Board, Franz Beckenbauer, as claiming a decision had been made that could see the Frenchman be sold.
With Real Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea and Manchester United linked with the Frenchman, Bayern have stated that he is not for sale, but the latest report has caused them to go one step further.
On the club’s official website, a list has been drawn up to indicate the current position of the club and the player and a formal request for the media to follow the guidelines. Read more…
Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has claimed Manchester United, Chelsea and Barcelona have all made offers for France playmaker Franck Ribery.
Ribery is also a target for big-spending Real Madrid but Rummenigge revealed three of their European rivals have stolen a march in their pursuit of the 26-year-old.
Asked if Madrid had made an offer, Rummenigge said: “No but other clubs have done. Chelsea have lodged a bid, as have Manchester United and Barcelona.”
However, Rummenigge insisted the Bundesliga giants were determined to keep hold of Ribery and would not cash in on their prize asset despite all the high profile interest in the player. Read more…
Barcelona’s chances of signing Franck Ribery from Bayern Munich are slowly slipping away, even though they reportedly retain first option to negotiate a transfer.
Latest rumours indicate that the French midfielder will only join Real Madrid and no one else if he decides to leave the Allianz Arena. And coupled with reports that the Blaugrana are unwilling to budge on their offer, any potential move to the Camp Nou could soon be dead in the water.
According to El Mundo Deportivo, under strict instructions from coach Pep Guardiola, Barca have set a limit of €40 million on Ribery and if they are required to pay even one Euro more, they will drop their pursuit for the 26-year-old. Read more…
