Vladimir Putin once failed to stop Manuel Neuer from joining Bayern Munich

dailystar.co.uk:

Vladimir Putin once tried and failed to stop Manuel Neuer from moving to Bayern Munich from Schalke.The World Cup-winning German goalkeeper has played for Bayern since 2011 after signing from boyhood club Schalke after two decades with the side.Until recently, Schalke were sponsored by Gazprom, the state-owned Russian energy company, with whom Putin is understood to have a large influence in their major dealings.As a result, Putin was said at the time to have been desperate for Neuer to stay at Schalke back in 2011 but was unable to stop his £27million transfer from the club to Bayern.Speaking at the time, Schalke chairman Clemens Toennies told Bild: "He [Putin] was absolutely convinced Manuel should stay, he was a huge fan of his."But with Manuel it was not a question of the money we could pay him - we had to accept that.

He wanted a change."Putin's attempts to keep Neuer at Schalke are not the only time he has interfered in a transfer, having once forced Arsenal to pay double to sign a player from Zenit Saint Petersburg.Schalke recently cancelled their sponsorship deal with Gazprom after 15 years as the clubs shirt sponsor following Russia's military invasion of Ukraine.Is Manuel Neuer the best goalkeeper in the world?

Let us know in the comments section below.Neuer had been captain of Schalke during his final season with the club, as they reached the last four of the Champions League and won the German Cup.He joined the club's academy at the age of five in 1991 before making his senior debut aged 20 in 2006.The move to Bayern has proven to be a success, with Neuer establishing himself as one of the world's best goalkeepers over most of his time in Munich.In total, he has won 27 major trophies with the club, including.