Schalke dig deep to keep ´world best´ ´keeper Neuer

Schalke 04 are to offer their goalkeeper Manuel Neuer a massive pay rise in order to stave off interest from the likes of Bayern Munich or Manchester United, a report here Friday suggested.

The 24-year-old Schalke captain’s annual salary could jump from two million euros to five million euros, according to Bild.

Schalke manager Felix Magath has confirmed that the Ruhr club will hold talks with their prized stopper, whose contract expires in 2012, during the winter break.

“It’s obvious that we want to hold on to the best goalkeeper in the world. It would be good to fix things up before the second half of the season begins,” Magath said.

Neuer, a product of Schalke’s youth academy, starred for Germany at this year’s World Cup in South Africa, but Schalke are worried that their poor start to the season could tempt him to look elsewhere in search of Champions League football next season.

Schalke are struggling this season, fourth from the foot of the table, four points off the relegation zone, but after a disastrous start have won six of their last 10 games and have reached the last 16 of the Champions League.

Bayern have been wooing Neuer for the past two years as a successor to 36-year-old Jorg Butt, while Manchester United are also admirers as they look to life after 40-year-old Edwin van der Sar.

Schalke fans have made their feelings clear with an internet petition already boasting 2,000 signatures calling for “Manu, a child of the Ruhr, to remain”.