Magath's warning for Neuer

The Schalke manager advises the goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to ignore the rumours linking him with a move to Bayern Munich and sign a new contract.

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Felix Magath, the Schalke manager, has advised the goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to ignore the rumours linking him with a move to Bayern Munich and sign a new contract with the Gelsenkirchen-based club to demonstrate that money is not everything in football.

The Germany international's contract runs until 2012, but should he refuse to commit to a new deal before next summer, Schalke would have little choice but to sell him or risk losing him on a free transfer 12 months later.

Magath knows he cannot offer Neuer, 24, the same financial package that he could expect from Bayern, but he has reminded him of what an honour it should be to represent his hometown club.

"I think that he knows that a decision for Schalke would be something special in this football business," Magath said.

"Only very few people have such a status and such a position in their own club.

"Manuel can develop even better and more sustainably with us because he can learn to take on more responsibility. He cannot do that in Munich. In Munich, he would just be an employee."

Meanwhile, Martin Demichelis, Bayern's Argentine defender, will go on loan to the Spanish club Malaga for six months with an option to extend, after losing his starting spot.