Bayern Munich chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has re-iterated the club’s intentions to keep hold of star man Franck Ribery and promising youngster Toni Kroos at the end of the season.
Franck Ribery
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Franck Ribery: Staying at Bayern Munich beyond this season?
Ribery has regularly been linked with a move away from the Allianz Arena this season, with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Chelsea reportedly his most likely destinations, but Rummenigge insists that the France winger is going nowhere.
“We plan with Robben, Ribery and Kroos for the next season,” Rummenigge told die Bild.”I remain cautiously optimistic that Ribery will stay. A contract extension with Ribery is not exclusively a matter of money.
“Franck yearns for success. He wants to finally win big titles, to rank among the greats too. The Kroos-recall campaign is also a signal to Franck that we want to close the small gap between the top clubs in Europe.”
Despite Bayer Leverkusen expressing an interest in keeping hold of the talented Kroos, who has scored nine Bundesliga goals while on loan at the BayArena this term, Rummenigge inists that the 20-year-old is firmly in Bayern coach Louis van Gaal’s plans.
“The case is resolved,” Rummenigge said. “I met last Thursday with Toni Kroos and his adviser Volker Struth. Toni will return to Bayern. Because Van Gaal thinks so much of Kroos, we will bring him back. He has watched him closely in recent weeks and thinks a lot of him.”
Bayern moved to the top of the Bundesliga last weekend after Ribery scored the winner in a 1-0 win over Hamburg and Leverkusen only managed a draw with Cologne.
[الاوسمه]: Rummenigge