http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/footbal...ry-1691639.html

Being covered by quite a few of the papers today....the way its splashed in the Sun and the Independent today.

Chelsea have tabled an audacious €50m (£43.7m) bid to bring Bayern Munich's Franck Ribéry to Stamford Bridge this summer.

The bid, sanctioned by the club's chief executive Peter Kenyon, was tabled several weeks ago and discussions are ongoing, though the Frenchman's salary demands appear to present an obstacle to a deal which would raise serious questions about Didier Drogba's future in west London. Chelsea are understood to have offered the Bayern player's representatives an annual net salary of €5.5m (£4.7m). Ribéry is holding out for €7m (£6m). But discussions on price are understood to be well down the line for a deal which offers further evidence that the Milan manager, Carlo Ancelotti, is destined for Chelsea.

Would be lovely, but I doubt it'll happen

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport...p;ATTR=Football

CHELSEA are locked in talks to sign Bayern Munich ace Franck Ribery for £43million.

The two clubs are believed to have agreed the fee and Blues are now thrashing out terms with the 26-year-old French international midfielder.

Ribery is holding out for a bumper £125,000-a-week salary AFTER tax but Chelsea are reluctant to offer more than £90,000 a week.

If the Londoners do close the deal it will be a bitter blow to Premier League rivals Manchester United, who have long wanted the Frenchman as a potential replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo.

Full-back Patrice Evra revealed in The Sun that he was hoping to persuade Ribery to join United.

Ancelotti comes and bring Kaka with him. Ribery comes and so does the russians Zhirkov and Dzagoev. Yes please!

44 m. Is Ribery that good?

I personally think he's Barca bound.

I dont think he is coming here, but I am confident he is moving this summer. I think he will be a Madrid player when they fail to get Ronaldo or Kaka or Cesc

45 is quite alot, even if it is Ribery. Id rather spread that money around, because it would still buy 2 very good young winger/forwards, and one world class attacking talent

I'd rather have Aguero than Ribery please.

The fee is terrible, but the wage bill wouldn't change from our current one if we got rid of Ballack.

£44 million? Ouch... we could probably get Zhirkov and Dzagoev for that, and have enough to spare to buy Guus a nice house in London to help him make up his mind. ^__________^

I'd say he's good... but not that good. Do we honestly think Ribery's only 2m less good than Zidane? And 4m better than Figo?

£44 million? Ouch... we could probably get Zhirkov and Dzagoev for that, and have enough to spare to buy Guus a nice house in London to help him make up his mind. ^__________^

I'd say he's good... but not that good. Do we honestly think Ribery's only 2m less good than Zidane? And 4m better than Figo?

Inflation mate, inflation!

The fee is terrible, but the wage bill wouldn't change from our current one if we got rid of Ballack.

I say yes. The guy is pure class.

44 m. Is Ribery that good?

yes, yes he is. hes as good as robben was in his pomp for us, but hes got a hell of a lot more heart than him. superb signing if you ask me, and the fee is obviously going to be a statement of intent from roman that he intends to rebuild the team with money being no object.

It seems that he's going to be a confirmed signing after Carlo has joined probably a week or so after :o

If this had just been in one paper then I'd take it with a pinch of salt however it is in quite a few of them and the stories and fees are pretty similar which almost certainly means there is a lot of substance behind this one

And, if he does sign he'll be wearing No. 7 shirt!?!? Please, give him different number as we are not so lucky with players wearing No. 7!

:o

If this had just been in one paper then I'd take it with a pinch of salt however it is in quite a few of them and the stories and fees are pretty similar which almost certainly means there is a lot of substance behind this one

geezer, I don't think it actually works that way.

All that happens is that one paper makes the rumour, and then all the others just repeat it. So, if every paper reports the same story it doesn't make it more likely.

Ribery would add a lot to our team, and would make Sir Alex fume. I really do hope this rumor is true.

0955: Bayern Munich tell BBC Sport there has been no approach for Franck Ribery and he wants to stay at the club. "He is contracted until 2011 and we want to extend his deal," said a spokesperson.

BBC Sport Gossip

Hmmmmmmmm......

He is just what we need but £44 million is ludicrous. I hope it doesnt happen. We'd be mugs.

We could possibly get Zhirkov and Villa for around or just over that total.

BBC Sport Gossip

Hmmmmmmmm......

Well, nevermind. So much for getting my hopes up. It sounded legit.

geezer, I don't think it actually works that way.

All that happens is that one paper makes the rumour, and then all the others just repeat it. So, if every paper reports the same story it doesn't make it more likely.

Its called Churnalism - its a result of the reductions in editorial staff by all the papers, availability of stories on-line and laziness

He is just what we need but £44 million is ludicrous. I hope it doesnt happen. We'd be mugs.

We could possibly get Zhirkov and Villa for around or just over that total.

I would pay £44m for Ribery, probably the 4rd best winger in the world after Messi, Ronaldo and Malouda.

As far as I can see this is all based on what he wrote in his book and relates to meetings that took place last year. not that I would mind if we did get him. Can you imagine him and Malouda on the left and right - wow! what a combination :o

I'd say £44million is worth it for Ribery. He's easily my favourite player in the world at the moment because his skill is just immense. He has everything Ronaldo has, minus the arrogance. Brilliant!

If we do get him, my god, I'd...I'd...well, I don't know what I'd do but it'd be incredible.