Ribery joins Bayern Munich

Bayern have beaten Real Madrid, Arsenal and Lyon in the race to sign Ribery, despite the club’s failure to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Ribery have signed a four-year contract with the German giants.

Olympique Marseille chairman Pape Diouf told the club’s Web site: “We have helped Franck to get where he is today and we are not really happy to let him go.

“It’s a good financial operation for the club, which proves Marseille can adapt to a market that is not easy.”

Bayern will have to pay a 26.0 million euro transfer fee and then an additional 4.0 million if the German side manage to qualify for the Champions League at the end of next season.