“We will try to reduce the salaries,” team manager Christian Nerlinger told the magazine. “The payments have shot through the roof. Therefore we must establish this sense, among the players too, who shouldn’t think that every contract extension automatically means more money.”
Though the team brought in revenues of some €268.7 million in the 2008-2009 business year, the team must still “consider costs,” he added.
But superstar players such as French midfielder Franck Ribéry – who is being courted by top clubs like Real Madrid and FC Chelsea – may be an exception.
“Every case is individual and market-driven,” Nerlinger said.
Ribéry’s contract is set to run out on June 30, 2011, and Bayern Munich will only be able to keep him with a salary increase.
“We will discuss a contract extension beyond 2011 with him early in the year and naturally will fight for him,” Nerlinger said, despite recent comments from the player’s agent, who said Ribéry definitely wanted to leave the team.
“The agent, not the player,” said this, Nerlinger insisted.
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