Real ready to gazump United for both Benzema and Ribery
MANCHESTER UNITED look set to be beaten to two of their principal summer targets by Real Madrid, after the cash-soaked Spanish club edged ahead in the race for Franck Ribery and emerged as rivals for his France colleague Karim Benzema.
United have identified £50m-rated Bayern Munich winger Ribery as a potential replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo, who is putting the finishing touches to his own £80 move to Real. The windfall from Ronaldo’s sale, as well as the departure of the out-of-contract Carlos Tevez, will also allow United to firm up their long-standing interest in Lyon striker Benzema.
But Real, who have already lavished almost £140m on Ronaldo and Brazil playmaker Kaka, are Ribery’s preferred destination, having tasked sporting advisor Zinedine Zidane with enticing his fellow Frenchman to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Chelsea also want Ribery, but the player is reluctant to move to England because of the weather, and his agent Alan Migliaccio stated yesterday that European champions Barcelona would be his second choice.
“Ribery would prefer to play for Real Madrid than Barcelona,” Migliaccio said. “The player has talked with Zinedine Zidane and he wants to play for Los Blancos for him.”
Bayern president Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has admitted they would sell their prize asset if they received a “crazy offer” but Migliaccio added no deal would be done until next month when talks will resume.
Benzema, 21, is also wanted by Real, according to reports in Spain, after the Madrid outfit conceded defeat in their attempts to sign Valencia striker David Villa. However, their spree is set to continue with the acquisition one of Villa’s club colleagues, defender Raul Albiol, while Liverpool and Spain full-back Alvaro Arbeloa is also tipped to join.