Bayern Step Up Behrami Interest

German top club Bayern Munich are looking to bolster their squad ahead of their return to the Champions League next season, and word is that Lazio standout Valon Behrami is becoming an increasingly important target.

With the league title all but sown up, Bayern have been front and centre when it comes to international transfer rumours of late, and just this week they have been heavily linked with Gennaro Gattuso, Mathieu Flamini, Daniele De Rossi, Deco, and Sebastien Frey. Now, Behrami's name is the latest to fill the sports gossip columns in Bavaria.

Fiorentina have been courting the Swiss international for several months already, and his match-winning display against deadly rivals Roma last month has also reportedly roused the interest of Spanish sides Valencia and Sevilla, as well as Premiership club West Ham. This is on top of recent reports that the likes of Milan, Liverpool, Tottenham and Palermo, have been tracking the 22-year-old wing-back for some time as well.

Word is that the Biancoceleste are determined to hang on to Behrami, but would likely not turn down an offer in excess of 10m euro for the Kosovo-born wide-man, who still officially has three years remaining on his contract with the Italian capital club.

Lazio president Claudio Lotito will now have to make a full-court press in order to try to keep the player, who openly criticised him for leaving the stadium well before the whistle during the 5-1 thrashing at the hands of Milan earlier this season.

Derek Wanner, Goal.com