Bayern seal Robben deal

Bayern Munich, winless in their first three games of the season, have been fighting off crisis talk for a week, ever since they fell 2-1 to promoted side Mainz.

On Friday, they let their checkbook do the talking.

The Munich team unveiled the acquisition of Dutch midfielder Arjen Robben, for whom they paid Real Madrid 25 million euros. That equals the price Bayern paid for Franck Ribery two years ago, the second most expensive transfer in the club's history.

Coach Louis van Gaal said his club's purchase of Robben would pay immediate dividends.

"I'm delighted,” said van Gaal, “because now I have another creative player. He's an explosive player.”

Van Gaal, who once coached Robben at the Dutch youth national squad level eight years ago, also said the young star would bring the Bayern side more tactical options, allowing the team to play not just a 4-3-3, but other systems as well, with Robben and French winger Franck Ribery able to swap roles.

Sleeping on the move

Robben himself said that he had mulled the move for some time before accepting that he had to leave Madrid, where playing time could have been scarce after the Spanish side added the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Kaka over the summer.

“In the end I decided I really wanted to move to a huge club like Bayern," Robben told Bayern's television channel FCB.tv.

Robben added that he was familiar with the club's illustrious history and that Bayern representatives had made a good impression on him through the negotiation process.

"I'm delighted to be here,” he said, “I'm totally fit, I had a good pre-season with Real Madrid and I'm ready to play."

Robben looks likely to start against Wolfsburg already on Saturday.

mrh/dpa/Reuters

Editor: Rick Demarest