Bayern determined to keep Ribery

Updated: Monday, 29 Jun 2009 10:33

Are Bayern playing hard ball in trying to extract the best fee they can get for Ribery - or are they really intent on keeping their asset in Bavaria?

Bayern Munich general manager Uli Hoeness is insistent the club will not budge on their refusal to sell Franck Ribery.

France playmaker Ribery is a target for Real Madrid, Manchester United, Chelsea and Barcelona but Hoeness is determined to keep the former Marseille man in Bavaria.

'Did you ever think that we would give in?', he asked. 'Have we ever shown signs of weakening? Franck will be on our training field on 1 July.'

One man who will not be lining up alongside Ribery at the Allianz Arena next season is Schalke keeper Manuel Neuer.

Neuer had been targeted by new Bayern boss Louis van Gaal but Schalke are refusing to sanction the sale of a player who has impressed for Germany at the European Under-21 Championship in Sweden.

Hoeness has accepted defeat and is willing to start next season with Hans-Jorg Butt and Michael Rensing as goalkeeping options despite neither man successfully filling the sizeable gap left by Oliver Kahn's retirement.

'We are not driving up to Gelsenkirchen and won't be negotiating any more,' Hoeness told Munich's Tz newspaper.

'The issue of Neuer is dealt with and there are not alternatives.
We will be going into the season with Hans-Jorg Butt and Michael Rensing.'