Friday, 9th August, 2013
Hannover have laughed off a bid from Stoke City for striker Mame Biram Diouf, telling the Potters they must offer €20m for the player in order to have their approach seriously considered.
Two Stoke representatives had headed over to Germany to hold talks described as "friendly" with Hannover officials.
However, the English Premier League outfit were destined to come up short, with the offer they were carrying, thought to be between €3m and €6m, brushed aside by Hannover, who consider Diouf a key source of goals.
Speaking to reporters, Hannover president Martin Kind explained: "Dirk Dufner [sporting director] welcomed them and talked to them, but this is all that happened."
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And, the Hannover president insisted, Diouf will be staying at the Bundesliga outfit unless Stoke come back with a very, very large bid of €20m, something Kind himself accepts is not too easy to see happening.
"If Stoke City offer €20m, we would think about it again", he said.
"But I don't consider this to be very realistic."
Diouf, who joined Hannover from Manchester United in January 2012, is under contract until next summer and the Bundesliga outfit could lose him on a free transfer at that time.
However, with the Senegal international offering goals, 12 in 28 Bundesliga matches last season, Hannover are not keen on letting him go.
The 25-year-old experience in English football, having turned out for Manchester United, while he also spent time on loan at Blackburn Rovers in the 2010/11 campaign.
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