Bayern confident on securing Neuer

Bayern close to secure Neuer, Germany goalkeeper. "There is a clear tendency," Bayern's director of sport Christian Nerlinger told the Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily. "Now it's just a question of how quickly we can find a solution." Club president Uli Hoeness meanwhile was reported by several newspapers as having difficulty hiding his optimism that the 25-year-old Neuer will soon be in a Bayern strip. "I know what his decision is. We will have to see what happens," he said. Neuer has said on Saturday he has decided where his future lies -- but refused to say where. "A decision has been taken. People who need to know, know. So everything is cleared up," he said. His contract at Schalke runs until 2012 and unless he signs an extension the Royal Blues will need to sell him soon or risk losing him on a free transfer in a year's time. Bayern have struggled to find a suitable replacement since ex-Germany captain Oliver Kahn retired in 2008 and the Munich giants are reported to be ready to pay 20 million euros ($28.8 million) for Germany's first-choice goalkeeper. German daily Bild claimed last week Schalke are set to offer Neuer a bumper contract worth 21 million euros over the next three years, but the club have since denied that. Neuer has also been linked to Premier League giants Manchester United with Dutch goalkeeper Edwin van der Saar retiring at the end of the season. Schalke, fresh from seeing off holders Inter Milan, face Sir Alex Ferguson's side in the semi-final of the Champions League on April 26 with the return leg at Old Trafford on May 4.