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July 30, 2009

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Beckenbauer says Ribery can go for 94 million euros

BAYERN Munich President Franz Beckenbauer set midfielder Franck Ribery's price tag at around 94 million euros yesterday, raising again speculation about the gifted Frenchman's possible transfer to Real Madrid.

"All this noise is not necessary," Beckenbauer said of the tug-of-war surrounding Ribery.

"Especially not when you have a new coach coming into the team, who wants to prepare it in a calm way and not having to deal with the Ribery issue every day," the former Bayern player told Sport Bild magazine.

"But should Bayern just give Ribery away? We naturally want what the market demands and if a Cristiano Ronaldo is worth 94 millions euro then Ribery is worth a similar amount.

"And if this is not being offered then he will just have to stay with us as he has a contract until 2011," Beckenbauer said.

Portuguese Ronaldo's move to Real from Manchester United in June was a world record transfer.

Bayern bosses Uli Hoeness and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge have maintained the club's policy was not to sell the 26-year-old whom they say is fully committed to playing in the Bundesliga this season.

"Just like in the board game Monopoly, Mayfair is not for sale, if you own it," Hoeness said last week.

They even backed Ribery, saying it was only natural for the player to be lured by Real's offer given the high wages he would earn there.

Ribery has been out injured for the past two weeks and will not take part in a mini-tournament late yesterday and today between Bayern, Boca Juniors, AC Milan and Manchester United.

He could also miss the start of the season on August 7.

Meanwhile, Liverpool defender Alvaro Arbeloa has passed a medical and will sign a five-year contract with Real Madrid, the Primera Liga club said.

The versatile Spanish international returns to the club he originally joined as 16-year-old from Real Zaragoza. He developed through the Real youth system but found his opportunities limited in the first team and left for Deportivo Coruna in 2006, and then Liverpool in January 2007.

Arbeloa becomes Real's seventh signing after Kaka, Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Raul Albiol, Alvaro Negredo and Esteban Granero.





 

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