GERMANY: SOCCER - Germany captain Michael Ballack confirms for first time that he is in "serious talks" to transfer to Chelsea from Bayern Munich

Record ID: 872623

  • Title: GERMANY: SOCCER - Germany captain Michael Ballack confirms for first time that he is in "serious talks" to transfer to Chelsea from Bayern Munich
  • Date: 13th April 2006
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (German) MICHAEL BALLACK SAYING: "The time has come -- or the last possibility for me at the age of 29 has come -- to dare and take this step. I have been thinking about it for a long time and I think Chelsea is a top club, which when you look at the English league strongly dominates the English league, also when you look at the points and internationally too, they have played a lot of very good games. It's just a very interesting club." WIDE OF NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 28th April 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • City:
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA9KVXR6UWODJOWL2FI514XPW28
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  • Story Text: Germany captain Michael Ballack said for the first time on Thursday (April 13) that he was in talks to transfer to Chelsea from Bayern Munich.
    Speaking to journalists in Munich, Ballack said that he and his agent have yet to clinch a deal with Chelsea but he was in "serious talks" with the Premier League champions.
    "The time has come -- or the last possibility for me at the age of 29 has come -- to dare and go this step."
    "I have been thinking about it for a long time and I think Chelsea is a top club, which when you look at the English league strongly dominates the English league," Ballack said on the sidelines of a book presentation in Munich.
    Ballack, who has faced criticism from Bayern for not extending his contract, added he has also spoken directly with Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho.
    The midfielder's contract at Bayern runs out at the end of the season. He has rejected a reported offer of 36 million euros ($43.76 million) to sign a new deal with the German champions.
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