Beckenbauer hints Bayern open to Hargreaves deal

BERLIN, Jan 5 (Reuters) Bayern Munich should consider selling Owen Hargreaves if Manchester United are really willing to pay 30 million euros (.52 million) for the England midfielder, club president Franz Beckenbauer said today.

In a column for Bild newspaper, Beckenbauer wrote that Bayern could use the transfer fee -- which would smash Bundesliga records -- to find a suitable replacement.

Other Bayern executives have until now ruled out letting Hargreaves go.

''You would have to think again if there really is this alleged 30 million euro offer on the table from Manchester United,'' wrote Beckenbauer, who in December was re-elected to a fifth term as club president.

''With that amount you could certainly accomplish a bit in the transfer market,'' added Beckenbauer, who usually stays out of public discussions about transfers and leaves that to sporting director Uli Hoeness and chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

Hoeness has previously ruled out a sale, saying Bayern are not a bank and are more concerned about making sure they have their best team for the Champions League than they are about money.

Hargreaves, who suffered a broken left fibula on Sept. 17 and has not played since, has repeatedly urged Bayern executives to sell him to United after the English club made a determined bid to sign him after the World Cup.

Hargreaves extended his contract with Bayern in October 2005 until after the 2010 season -- which Beckenbauer said was reason to not let him go easily.

''It's the right thing to not allow a player who has just extended his contract to go just because another club wants to pay him more,'' Beckenbauer said.

Reuters SAM VV1544