Chelsea Transfer News: Franck Ribery Reveals Offers from Blues and Real Madrid

A player of Franck Ribery's talent is sure to attract his share of transfer interest, but the Bayern Munich talisman recently lifted the lid on some of the huge offers he's turned down from Chelsea and Europe's other big guns.

The Blues were joined by Manchester City and Real Madrid in making bids to sign the former France international when Louis van Gaal took over at the Allianz Arena in 2009, per the Daily Mirror's Alex Richards, with massive fees attached:

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I was pulled one way and then the other, that made my head spin. I was on the verge of leaving. I then had two, three conversations with [former general manager] Uli Hoeness and [chairman] Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. And they were really cool, I will never forget that. [On the transfer prices linked] 60, 65, 70, or even 80 million euros.

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Ribery won't have regretted his decision to remain in Bavaria in terms of the silverware prospects he's seen as a result of being part of the Bayern fraternity. 

Since that summer, the winger has won three Bundesliga titles, a Champions League crown, a FIFA Club World Cup and three DFB-Pokal trophies.

Along with all that team recognition has also come the realisation of Ribery's individual talent, which saw him nominated for the 2013 Ballon d'Or final shortlist, with Cristiano Ronaldo eventually topping the polls.

However, the 31-year-old would appear to still hold some resentment toward how he believes the Ballon d'Or is decided, according to Eurosport:

Chelsea have also won a Champions League title since Ribery rejected their advances, and with Jose Mourinho back at their helm, the Blues are now on course to add a Premier League title to their cabinet.

Life at Stamford Bridge could have led to differing fortunes for not only the player but Bayern as well, with OptaJean detailing just what a prolific asset Ribery has been to Der FCB in recent years:

It's well founded that the Premier League's titans have the means to offer foreign players more lucrative deals than their Italian and German counterparts, but Pep Guardiola's Bayern have pulling powers of their own.

Had Ribery chosen to move for the kind of prices mentioned, it would have rivalled Ronaldo's move from Manchester United to Real as one of the most expensive deals in football.

Jon Super/Associated Press

At his age, Ribery can look back upon what he's achieved since then with pride and not wonder "what if" with any sense of remorse.

Mourinho may well have enjoyed having such a talent under his command, however, and he will seek to ensure similar prospects in the future don't evade his grasp.