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Last Updated: Wednesday, 15 March 2006, 11:30 GMT
Bayern admit defeat over Ballack
Michael Ballack
If Mr Abramovich wants a player, he will always find a solution
Bayern Munich commercial manager Uli Hoeness
Bayern Munich will not even try to compete with Chelsea over Michael Ballack, according to the German club's commercial manager Uli Hoeness.

The 29-year-old will be out of contract at Bayern this summer and although his club wants him to stay, Chelsea have already expressed their interest.

"If he gets an offer from Chelsea, we cannot come up with a better one," Hoeness told German weekly Sport Bild.

"There is one club in the world we can't fight with and that's Chelsea."

Ballack is rumoured to want a four-year �120,000-a-week contract, but Hoeness said no club would be able to match the financial muscle of Chelsea Russian billionaire owner Roman Abramovich.

"If Mr Abramovich wants a player, he will always find a solution and you won't get a chance," Hoeness said.

"I don't have any problems with that. It's his money."

Ballack's agent, Michael Becker, has admitted that the German captain could be a Chelsea player before the beginning of this summer's World Cup in his home country.

Becker said Chelsea were the only club he was talking to about the midfielder.

"The transfer window opens in May and the World Cup is coming up," Becker told BBC Sport.

"I think there is definitely something happening before the World Cup."

Becker confirmed that other clubs were interested in Ballack, with Inter Milan and Real Madrid among those linked with the midfielder.

But he stressed: "There is interest from other clubs but Chelsea are the only club we are talking to at the moment."

Blues boss Jose Mourinho has publicly stated his desire to bring Ballack to Stamford Bridge, saying that he would love to see the German star linking with Frank Lampard in the heart of Chelsea's midfield.

He told German newspaper Bild: "I want him. He has said he needs time before making a decision. I respect that. Now it's up to him."

Lampard has been linked with a summer move to Barcelona with Ballack's arrival being seen in some quarters as a signal of the England international's possible departure from Chelsea.

But Mourinho added: "For me Ballack is one of the best players in the world.

"He's very intelligent, tactically very strong and he scores a lot of goals.

"For me in Europe there's only Frank Lampard who plays at that level. The two would form a dream pair.

"They're the two best players in the world in their category."




SEE ALSO
Chelsea leading race for Ballack
02 Mar 06 |  Chelsea
Ballack denies deal with Chelsea
28 Feb 06 |  Chelsea


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