Zinedine Zidane has comnfirmed that Real Madrid will do what they can to sign Bayern Munich midfielder Franck Ribery.
France international Ribery is said to be a target for Manchester United, Chelsea and Barcelona, although Bayern remain keen to keep him at the Allianz Arena.
Reports in Thursday’s press suggest a £70million bid could be about to be tabled by Real and Zidane, who is assisting president Florentino Perez in his recruitment this summer, has confirmed the club will do their utmost to sign Ribery.
“We will do whatever is necessary so Ribery comes to Real Madrid,” he said. “This is the voice of Florentino Perez and Zinedine Zidane.”
“The discussions are on the right track,” Zidane told Le Parisien. “Even if I am not at Madrid today, there are meetings on this matter at the moment.
“Personally, I am for Ribery coming to Madrid and I will do everything to make that happen.
“It’s my wish as much as that of the club’s president.”
Meanwhile, amid reports that they would be prepared to sell Ribery, Bayern issued a statement insisting the player was not for sale.
“There was and never has been a resolution by Bayern Munich’s supervisory board about the sale of Franck Ribery,” said the statement.
“There is only a unanimous resolution from Bayern’s executive committee that the player Franck Ribery is not for sale.”
The statement came in response to comments made by the German club’s president, Franz Beckenbauer, who was quoted in Sport Bild as saying a transfer could be envisaged “if he really wants to leave”.
“We all agree – if he really wants to leave we will deal with that problem,” added Beckenbauer.
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