Last-minute interest in Schalke goalkeeper Neuer

British tabloid The Daily Mirror claims that Barcelona is interested in Schalke 04 goalkeeper Manuel Neuer (23).

Barcelona reportedly wants to give Barcelona goalkeeper Víctor Valdés some competition this season and would already have made tentative enquiries about the German keeper.

The club would now plan to move quickly for Neuer and is believed to going to make a firm bid before the summer transfer window closes later today. Schalke would nevertheless not be willing to let the player leave cheaply and the German club would be asking a transfer fee of around 14 million euros for their goalkeeper.

Manchester United is also said to be interested in Neuer. With Edwin van der Sar approaching the end of his career, Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson would have stepped up his search for a new goalkeeper, with the German being one of the candidates. Ferguson has nevertheless said that he will not make any further signings before the transfer window closes.

Read more:
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Watch a video of Neuer here:

Looking for a goal keeper

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona is looking to bring in a goal keeper who should put pressure on current first choice goal keeper Víctor Valdés (26) (read more here).

With substitute goal keeper Albert Jorquera (29) not expected to return before July, with the loan deal of Celta Vigo loan out José Manuel Pinto (32) not being made permanent and with a qualification round for the Champions League coming up, Barcelona doesn't want to take any risk.

Barcelona would have good scouting reports on a number of goal keepers amongst which Manuel Neuer (Schalke 04 - 22), Hugo Lloris (Nice - 21), Dudu Aouate (Deportivo La Coruña - 30) and Diego Alves (Almería - 22). Heurelho Gomes (PSV Eindhoven - 27) and Sébastien Frey (Fiorentina - 28) would have been offered.

Nicolás Lozano, journalist of Mexican sports site Medio Tiempo, claims that Club América goal keeper Guillermo Ochoa (22 - picture) could come to Barcelona because Rafael Márquez and Giovani dos Santos will leave: "And Barcelona needs a Mexican player in the squad because of marketing purposes."

Catalan sports paper Sport nevertheless claims that nothing will change: Valdés stays the number one with Jorquera as his back-up, Pinto will return to Celta and no new goal keeper will be brought in.

Read more:

Villareal's Diego Lopez to rival Valdes

How things stand: Goal keeper

Pinto wants to stay

Neuer focussing on Schalke

Asked about the rumours linking him with a move to Barcelona (read more here), Schalke 04 goalkeeper Manuel Neuer (21) told German tabloid Bild that he didn’t hear anything about the possible interest of Barcelona: “But if it would be true, I would be honoured.” Neuer, who would also be followed by Tottenham Hotspur, added that his heart is with Schalke and that he doesn’t want to waste thoughts on any other clubs at this moment.

Manuel Neuer (Schalke 04)

Catalan sports paper El Mundo Deportivo claims that Barcelona is closely following Schalke 04 goalkeeper Manuel Neuer (21). The player caught the attention of the Barcelona scouts rather accidentally when they were spying on other Schalke players. Barcelona has now several detailed and very positive scouting reports about the German youth international.

Because the contract of Barcelona second goalkeeper Albert Jorquera (29) expired in June of this year and it was believed he could leave to have more playing time elsewhere, Barcelona has been seriously looking to transfer another goalkeeper who could rival with regular Víctor Valdés (26). Neuer was one of the names on the list of the technical staff.

The situation nevertheless changed when Jorquera got injured last December and Barcelona had to hurry to bring in a reliable back-up for Valdés. During the January transfer window, the club transferred Celta Vigo goalkeeper José Manuel Pinto (32) on loan until the end of the season, with an option for a permanent deal (read more here). Meanwhile, the contract of Albert Jorquera has been renewed for two more years (read more here). Because of the seriousness of Jorquera’s injury, who could not be totally fit when the new season starts, there still would be a possibility a new goalkeeper will be looked for.