Bayern fans set to ignore board plea and boo Neuer
BERLIN: Schalke 04's Manuel Neuer can expect plenty of boos at Bayern Munich on Saturday despite pleas from the club board to show the German national 'keeper and a transfer target of theirs respect.
The 25-year-old has already told Champions League semifinalists Schalke he will leave when his contract expires in 2012 and Bayern have made no secret of their desire to sign him for next season.
While Schalke were soundly beaten 2-0 by Manchester United in Gelsenkirchen on Tuesday in their Champions League semifinal, first-leg, Neuer's outstanding performance kept the scoreline respectable.
His performance drew gushing praise from United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who has made no secret of the fact he would also like to sign him.
The Bavarian giants are reported to be ready to pay around 20 million euros for Neuer, but Bayern fans are not happy about him joining from arch-rivals Schalke.
Placards demanding 'No Neuer!' were displayed around the Allianz Arena the last time the two sides met in the German Cup at the start of March and Neuer can expect more of the same treatment for the Bundesliga clash.
Berlin newspaper Tagesspiegel reported Hertha Berlin have already begun negotiations with Bayern's second choice goalkeeper Thomas Kraft, who was demoted to the bench last month and is out of contract at the end of the season.
With Bayern's first-choice goalkeeper Hans-Joerg Butt hinting he may retire at the end of the season and Neuer tipped to join, a move to Berlin would make sense for Kraft.
A potential replacement for Neuer at Schalke is reported to be relegation-threatened Eintracht Frankfurt's Ralf Faehrmann, who has said he is not interested in playing second division football.
"Playing in the second division is of no interest to me, I want to play in the Bundesliga," Faehrmann told Bild.
"If that is not with Frankfurt, then with someone else."
The 25-year-old has already told Champions League semifinalists Schalke he will leave when his contract expires in 2012 and Bayern have made no secret of their desire to sign him for next season.
While Schalke were soundly beaten 2-0 by Manchester United in Gelsenkirchen on Tuesday in their Champions League semifinal, first-leg, Neuer's outstanding performance kept the scoreline respectable.
His performance drew gushing praise from United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who has made no secret of the fact he would also like to sign him.
The Bavarian giants are reported to be ready to pay around 20 million euros for Neuer, but Bayern fans are not happy about him joining from arch-rivals Schalke.
Placards demanding 'No Neuer!' were displayed around the Allianz Arena the last time the two sides met in the German Cup at the start of March and Neuer can expect more of the same treatment for the Bundesliga clash.
Berlin newspaper Tagesspiegel reported Hertha Berlin have already begun negotiations with Bayern's second choice goalkeeper Thomas Kraft, who was demoted to the bench last month and is out of contract at the end of the season.
With Bayern's first-choice goalkeeper Hans-Joerg Butt hinting he may retire at the end of the season and Neuer tipped to join, a move to Berlin would make sense for Kraft.
A potential replacement for Neuer at Schalke is reported to be relegation-threatened Eintracht Frankfurt's Ralf Faehrmann, who has said he is not interested in playing second division football.
"Playing in the second division is of no interest to me, I want to play in the Bundesliga," Faehrmann told Bild.
"If that is not with Frankfurt, then with someone else."
