Bayern Munich striker Ivica Olic has denied telling a newspaper
that teammate Franck Ribery could be frozen out at the Bundesliga
club if he does not sign a new contract.
The Vecernji newspaper reportedly quoted Olic as saying
Bayern had issued Ribery an ultimatum to commit to a new deal
before the end of March or risk being dropped, but the Croatian
forward has distanced himself from the remarks.
"There is nothing, absolutely nothing right with these
quotes," Olic said in a statement released through the Bavarian
club.
"These remarks which I am supposed to have said are
completely invented."
According to the Vecernji newspaper, Olic also claimed Ribery
"does not get on" with coach Louis van Gaal.
But Olic insists he did not grant the newspaper an official
interview, saying: "They only spoke to me after the Bundesliga game
against Mainz on Saturday, in the mixed zone of the Allianz Arena.
"I told them that Franck Ribery is one of the best
footballers in the world, but that he has been out for three months
and is therefore not playing yet.
"I said nothing more and nothing less than that."
Bayern are keen to commit Ribery to a new contract in a bid
to stave off rumoured interest from Real Madrid and Chelsea.
The 26-year-old's current deal expires in 2011, and he is
likely to become a leading transfer target this summer as it would
be the last chance for Bayern to demand a sizeable fee before he
becomes a free agent.
Ribery has yet to sit down and negotiate terms with Bayern
amid ongoing speculation linking him with a 50million euro switch
to Madrid.
The Frenchman is now fit again after several months on the
sidelines but Van Gaal has yet to select him in his starting XI
with the team defending a six-game winning run.
