Where the hell do they keep getting all this money from?

Hey, remember yesterday morning when we reported the comments of Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. You know, the comments that have appeared in most English papers this morning, almost 24 hours later? Well, he said that Franck Ribery will not be leaving the club this summer, and that it is not a question of money.

This attitude may change, however, when Florentino Perez offers to make him the third most expensive player in the world. According to AS, Real Madrid have ‘reserved’ €55m for the Frenchman - a bid far greater than the £30m reportedly being offered by Chelsea, and undoubtedly more than Manchester Utd and Barcelona are willing to dish out.

After several meetings with Zinedine Zidane and close advisor Jorge Valdano, Perez has been persuaded that Ribery is a ’sure bet’ in sporting terms, and has been convinced that he is the final piece in the puzzle that is Madrid’s ridiculously talented midfield.