Beckenbauer confident of Ruud deal

Bayern Munich are preparing to offload a striker should they complete the transfer of Ruud van Nistelrooy from Manchester United.

Bayern yesterday made an improved offer for the 30-year-old to United and general manager Uli Hoeness announced that “the ball is now in their court”.

And the likely departure is one of Dutchman Roy Makaay or Claudio Pizarro, the Peruvian.

While Bayern await a response from Old Trafford, Bayern’s honorary president Franz Beckenbauer spoke confidently about a deal being struck.

“We are still €5m away from Manchester United’s valuation, but the chances are still high,” he said at the Bavarian club’s training camp in Austria.

“But if it does work out, I could imagine us giving away Roy Makaay or Claudio Pizarro.”

Bayern have already spent €10.5m on Germany international Lukas Podolski from Cologne and with Makaay, Pizarro and Paraguay’s Roque Santa Cruz already on the club’s books, Van Nistelrooy’s arrival “would leave us with too many strikers”, according to Beckenbauer.

Paolo Guerrero was sold to Hamburg and Beckenbauer claims further departures to the north may be on the cards.

“We could reach another deal [with Hamburg],” he added.

Hamburg are known to be searching for a new striker after failing in their bids to sign Aston Villa’s Milan Baros and Patrick Kluivert of Valencia.