Bayern Munich should offer French playmaker Franck Ribery a contract extension or allow him to leave as speculation about a move to Real Madrid is rife, club president Franz Beckenbauer said on Monday. "I only see two solutions - Ribery extends his contract to end any talk of a transfer or we offer his release," Beckenbauer told Bild newspaper.
Ribery has been linked with several major European clubs despite having a contract with Bayern until 2011 and Spain's Real Madrid are seen as the frontrunners. The Frenchman has said in the past he would like to play for Real at some point but has so far declined to comment on reports a deal was imminent. "I hope he stays and he signs a new contract," said Beckenbauer, a columnist for the newspaper. "I rate him together with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as the best player in the world at the moment.