Bayern set to sign Bilbao star

As has been said here time and time before, one of the sad things about modern football is that unless clubs have a lot of money, teams are not allowed to grow organically and improve themselves.

Teams that grow up together and maybe have one glorious season before their ripped apart by the preying vultures that are the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Manchesters City and United and so on.

Regrettably, this looks set to be the case with one of the great romantic stories of last season; the relative success of Athletic Blibao under Marcelo Bielsa. Granted they didn’t win anything last time around but they’re brand of football exhilarated and thrilled and the fact that they were a young team just romanticised it more.

But now, in the long summer, the team looks set to be ripped apart starting with defensive stalwart and Cristiano Ronaldo-baiter Javi Martinez set to leave the club according to Talksport today.

They report that Martinez will turn down Manchester City and Manchester United to sign for Bayern Munich instead as the German giants recover from their Champions League defeat.

The centre half/centre midfielder is currently on international duty with Spain but Bayern are reported to have put a bid in to Bilbao for the 23-year-old who is apparently open to a move to Germany.

The deal is not done yet however so there is still time for more rumours to come in about the £25m-rated player. Watch this space indeed.

For more Football Blogs and opinion from football fans around the world