Bayern Munich secret meetings with Louis van Gaal and Diego
Bayern Munich set for dream signings
By KAI TRAEMANN and CHRISTOPH SONNENBERG
Bayern Munich have made their move to land their two dream signings for next season, BILD can reveal, with the club holding secret meetings to secure the services of coach Louis van Gaal and star player Diego.
Top officials from the Bavarian giants travelled to Amsterdam to meet van Gaal (57), who has just won the Dutch championship with AZ Alkmaar but who has declared in interest in joining Bayern.
The German champions want him to be the long-term replacement for Jurgen Klinsmann, who was sacked last week after a terrible run of form which saw the team dumped out of the Champions League and fall away in the Bundesliga.
Van Gaal has said he wants to leave the Dutch club, but AZ chairman Dirk Scheringa said: “Louis has a contract with us until 2010, and we will remind him of that. A move to Bayern is out of the question.”
The second secret meeting was in Munich on Monday with Werder Bremen star Diego Ribas de Cunha and his dad Djair, who doubles as his manager.
Although the Brazilian has also been linked to Italian club Juventus, there has been no confirmed agreement.
And Diego has encouraged Munich bosses by saying he wants to stay in the Bundesliga, potentially with the Bavarians.
Officials at Bayern are keeping tight-lipped about the potential arrivals. General manager Uli Hoeness told a press conference yesterday: “There is no pressure, but we do need to reach a decision soon.”
That is likely to be within the next ten days.
News of the two meetings will give some cheer to Bayern fans in the wake of rumours linking star player Franck Ribery with an incredible €70m move to Manchester United if the English champions sell Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid.
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