Zidane: Franck Ribery Should Be At Real Madrid

Real Madrid Sporting Advisor Zinedine Zidane has told Bayern Munich star Franck Ribery that should he decide to leave the Allianz Arena, his only port of call should be Madrid.

Ribery has been heavily linked with both Barcelona and Real Madrid this summer, with the latter stepping up their efforts to land the 26-year old to add him to the stellar list of transfers taking place under Florentino Perez this summer.

Zidane confirmed to French newspaper Le Dauphine Libere that Los Blancos has commenced negotiations with the winger and called Ribery ‘a fantastic footballer.’

He reiterated his desire to see the player at the Bernabeu next season, and said it makes sense, for his career, to move to Real Madrid.

“His [Ribery’s] place is at Real Madrid. Playing with us would be a great opportunity for his career and something that he could not refuse.”

Furthermore, Zidane responded to accusations that Perez is simply attempting to buy success for the club, by stating that, "bringing the best players in the world together has a cost."

After securing the capture of Kaka and the soon to be announced arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo, Madrid have also been linked with Zlatan Ibrahimovic from Inter and David Villa from Valencia.

Real Madrid look to sign Franck Ribéry

Real Madrid want to sign Franck Ribéry from Bayern Munich during the close season, according to the club's president Florentino Pérez. "It would be a huge satisfaction to have Ribéry with us as soon as next season," Perez told the French daily L'Equipe today. "But we first have to talk to his club Bayern Munich. I will get in touch with my friends Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Uli Hoeness to ask them what they want to do with Ribéry. I'll tell them this player is one of our targets and that I want to discuss his possible move to Real."

Pérez added he was "very optimistic" about signing the Brazilian Kaka from Milan after he held talks with the Serie A side and the player's father this week. "If Kaka leaves Milan, he will join Real Madrid," Pérez said.

The Real chairman also said he tried to convince Arsenal manager, Arsène Wenger, to join the nine-time European champions before naming Manuel Pellegrini as Real's new coach. "We have always liked the Frenchman and we talked a lot with him," Pérez said. "But he feels very responsible of what is going on and of what is going to happen next at Arsenal. He did not want to leave this club which he has given a lot to."