The English football club Chelsea have made a $112 million bid to sign France winger Franck Ribery from Bayern Munich.
Ribery has been recommended to Chelsea by AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti, who is the favourite to take charge at Stamford Bridge once Guus Hiddink resumes his fulltime role as Russia coach next month.
The transfer fee would be just short of the world record paid by Real Madrid for Ribery's former France teammate Zinedine Zidane.
However, Ribery is said to earn $16 million a year in Germany and wants a salary closer to that before he agrees to move to west London.
He is likely to have other suitors, with Manchester United and Real Madrid both reported to be interested in signing him.
