Franck Ribéry faces financial ruin? Hardly

If the rumours currently circulating the Net and some European newspapers are to be believed, then the French international midfielder, Franck Ribéry, has a hard choice to make.

He's reported to be considering offers from two of Europe's top teams as they try to woo him away from his present club, Germany's Bayern Munich.

Ready for some silly spondoolicks?

First out of the stall - to use a well-worn sporting term, albeit borrowed from horse racing, are Barcelona.

The reigning Spanish title holders and Champions League semi-finalists have apparently offered a cool €25 million (plus another player) to entice Ribéry away from Bayern, where the poor guy is only pocketing €8 million annually.

Up to the plate, to use another non-football sporting term, steps that other giant of European club soccer, the defending Champions League holders and English premier league side, Manchester United with...wait for it...a bid that amounts to a whopping €70 million.

Ahem.

Yes, welcome to the world of the footballing élite. At a time when much of the planet is having a tough time handling the credit crunch, the crème de la crème of club football - or soccer if you will - would appear to be a law unto itself.

Ribéry moved to Bayern in 2007 from the French side Marseille for around €25 million, and although his contract is due to run until 2011, he's thought to be looking for another club.

While Bayern's management has repeatedly ruled out a transfer and denied rumours that circulated earlier in the year in the Spanish press that Ribéry was about to sign for Barcelona, the immediate future of the French midfielder could well see him move to pastures new.

Ribéry has made no secret of his willingness to leave Bayern, especially if the team fails to qualify for next seasons Champions League.

The side was on the wrong end of a 5-1 aggregate drubbing by Barcelona in the quarterfinal stage of this year's competition and Ribéry said in a recent interview with the French sports daily l'Equipe that failure to qualify next year would be a bitter pill to swallow.

"It would really be very difficult to remain with the club under those conditions," he said. "That's why the side has to finish at least in the top two at the end of the season."

A lot will hinge of course on whether Bayern manage to finish in the top two of the German Bundeliga. They currently lie second, just three points adrift of leaders Wolfsburg.

Should he decide it's time to go though, Ribéry will have to weigh up which of the reported bids on the table is in his best interests.

€25 million or €70 million.

Life can be full of difficult decisions!