Football
ESPN staff 9y

Dortmund's Marco Reus warned over Bayern Munich move by Franck Ribery

Franck Ribery has told kicker he will not let Marco Reus take his place in Bayern Munich's starting XI if the Bundesliga champions make a summer move for the Borussia Dortmund star.

Reus, 25, has repeatedly been linked with a move to Bayern this year, and the Germany international reportedly has a 25 million-euro release clause in his contract which becomes active at the end of the 2014-15 season.

The BVB attacker has dampened speculation regarding a move, and while Ribery admits Reus would be a fine addition for Bayern, the 31-year-old -- who missed the 2014 World Cup with back problems -- is not about to give up his starting role in Pep Guardiola's side.

"Reus is a great player," Ribery said. "But I will be around at Bayern for a while, even if I'm turning 32 in a bit.

"I am feeling very well and I am raring to go again. I am still an important player at Bayern. People should not write me off just yet."

Former Germany international Lothar Matthaus has claimed that Bayern need to sign Reus as Ribery and Arjen Robben (30) near the end of their careers.

"Looking at the future, Bayern Munich need Marco Reus," he told Sport Bild. "Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery have reached a certain age, and will not be able to perform at the top level for much longer.

"You could already see that with Ribery, who was injured a lot. That's why this transfer makes sense. Moreover Bayern would be more versatile with Reus. And that's what [Pep] Guardiola wants."

Reus' future has caused further fallout between Bayern and Dortmund after the Bavarian side signed Mario Gotze in 2012 and then took Robert Lewandowski on a free transfer last summer.

BVB CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke said there insists "there nothing more to say" regarding Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge's repeated statements about the player.

BVB coach Jurgen Klopp, meanwhile, suggests the German champions will regret "misbehaving" over discussing Reus.

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