Ribery - I want to leave

Ribery: Wants Real move

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Franck Ribery has told Bayern Munich that he wants to leave the club and join the new generation of 'galacticos' at Real Madrid.

The France international has been at the centre of a long-running saga over the past six months, with Real and Premier League champions Manchester United chasing his signature.

Bundesliga runners-up Bayern have remained adamant that they will not be selling £30million-rated Ribery, but their star asset has now announced his desire to move away from Germany.

The 26-year-old wants to follow Raul Albiol, Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in agreeing a big-money, summer move to the Bernabeu, delivering another transfer blow to United.

Sir Alex Ferguson was thought to want Benzema, but the Frenchman has snubbed Old Trafford and is on the verge of moving to Spain, and Ribery looks set to do the same.

Evolve

"I have made up my mind, I want to leave," Ribery told L'Equipe. "It will be Real or nothing.

"I am waiting to see how things will evolve. Then, I would like to have a talk with Bayern's hierarchy."

But Bayern's general manager Uli Hoeness insists that Ribery's announcement does not alter their stance.

He said: "Franck wants to join Real? That doesn't change anything to us. Real never did us any concrete proposition.

"The Real officials wanted to come to Munich, but we told them it was useless and they should save some plane tickets.

"We don't need their money, and we will keep Franck come hell or high water."