Bayern Munich admit they are resigned to losing Germany captain Michael Ballack to Chelsea at the end of the season.
Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho revealed on Monday that the west Londoners had made Ballack, out of contract at the end of the season, a lucrative offer and Bayern general manager Uli Hoeness conceded defeat.
”If he has an offer from Chelsea then it will be a lot more lucrative than Bayern’s, so there is no point talking about it any more,” Hoeness told magazine Sport Bild.
”There is one club in the world that we cannot measure ourselves against and that is Chelsea. We just cannot compete financially.”
Chelsea, bankrolled by billionaire Russian owner Roman Abramovich, are reportedly ready to make the 29-year-old Ballack the world’s highest-paid player, with a weekly salary of £121 000 pounds.
Ballack turned down a four-year contract at Bayern in January and the German champions have targeted Barcelona’s Dutch international Mark van Bommel as a replacement. — Sapa-AFP