http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story ... 19&cc=3888

Getafe's German coach Bernd Schuster has signed a pre-contract agreement to become Real Madrid's manager next season, according to reports.

Schuster had an oral agreement with Real president Ram?n Calder?n but German news agency DPA report the former Real Madrid player now has a signed deal that states he will take over from 1 July 2007.

Despite denying initial reports of a deal in Spanish newspaper AS earlier on Thursday, Schuster's representatives later confirmed the details of the pre-contract agreement to Deutsche Presse-Agentur.

If Real decide not to appoint Schuster as Fabio Capello's successor the former German international will receive ?1m. Likewise, if Schuster decides not to rejoin the club where he spent some of his most glorious years as a player he will have to shell out ?1m.

Schuster, who was a flamboyant playmaker for both Barcelona and Real Madrid, has forged one of the best defences in Spain, at Getafe, and his knowledge of La Liga puts him ahead of other candidates such as Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez and Russia coach Guus Hiddink.

In March, Schuster boosted his stock with the Madridstas when he lambasted out-of-favour Capello.

'Capello only wants to win, it does not matter how, and with that philosophy you will never succeed at Real Madrid,' he said.

'It is practically certain he won't be coach of Real Madrid next season.'

Since then Schuster has been involved with planning Madrid's summer transfer campaign - demanding any plans of sell defender Fabio Cannavaro are shelved, approving a move for Germany international Christophe Metzelder and suggesting ?50m is decent price for Cristiano Ronaldo.

All that means is that we will be linked with Capello now!

But where would Jose go if Capello came to Chelsea? There aren't that many clubs that are big enough for him and can afford the sort of wages he demands. The clubs from Milan would be obvious ones and Barcelona as Rijkaard seems to be going out in the summer...well, according to rumours anyway.

More fuel to the fire from Sky Sports:

...Barcelona though, are suffering from what I call 'galacticoism': there are too many things that suggest it. On one hand Frank Rijkaard seems to have given up on the team a little bit.

He's not using a strong hand to bring back the discipline and recently Deco has spent a few days on holiday in Galicia, one extra day compared to everyone else.

There are a fair few days in the week where Ronaldinho hasn't been training because of the temperature and there are suggestions he is not training enough, while Samuel Eto'o shot an advert last week, so missed training as well. Nobody has any self-criticism and there is so much going on that suggests they need a firm hand.

It could be that Barcelona are waiting until the end of the season to do this and I really hope that is the case, because if they let it go on like this, it could lead to another long-term decline.

But I do expect Joan Laporta to apply his intelligence in the summer in getting rid of one or two star names and getting new people in...

I don't think bringing Mourinho down to Catalonia will go well with Barca fans.

After Frisk incident he's been a figure of hatred down there.

That's not gonna stop the journos writing about it.

I will say this, and keep on saying this till I am proved correct, Jose is going nowhere, why would he, he has everthing he needs at Chelsea, players, fans, and other personal at Chelsea love the man, and that love is returned equally, we have already got the top top manager, every body knows it including RA, so why would he sabotage the master plan which is way above everybody fervent wishes, over a little squabble,(if the papers are to believed) and get rid of the no1 manager he is so comfortable at Chelsea that after the great performance against Valencia, he acted like a 5year old finding the lollipop jar open, in celebrating the joy of progressing in the CL with JT and M Essien in front of the worlds media, what other manager would even contemplate that let alone carry it out, Jose has never once spoken out against Roman, and Roman, well he has never spoken period, I have never been at all worried about all this so called paper talk, so fellow Chelsea ites my advice is sit back, Relax, watch and enjoy the rest of the season for if/when the remaining trophys arrive back at the bridge we can really celebrate, but poor old JOSE has got his work cut out for he has to start planning for next season and how is he going to top this season.

Yeah, I agree...it would be best to concentrate on the current season, but I can't ignore all the rumours making the rounds.

Hiddink denies being lined up for Jose's job:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/footbal ... 549455.stm

"Let's be frank and open, every now and then I do talk to him(Roman) - but not about the Chelsea job.

More bollocks

http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hli ... INHO+CLAIM

Getafe coach Bernd Schuster has claimed that Jose Mourinho is set to take over at Real Madrid, whilst Guus Hiddink has ruled out replacing the Chelsea boss in the summer.

With Mourinho rumoured to be leaving Stamford Bridge, Schuster added more fuel to the fire by revealing that he believes the Portuguese is the strong favourite to take charge at the Bernabeu.

Mourinho has attempted to cool talk about a potential exit in recent days, but Schuster's claims will do little to dampen speculation surrounding the Blues boss.

"He (Mourinho) will win the final battle for the job of coach at Real Madrid for next season and there is a strong chance that he will do it," Schuster told Marca.

The Getafe trainer was reported to have agreed to become Los Merengues' coach on 1st July by a German Sports Agency, DPA, but he dismissed the story out of hand.

"Everything is still the same," he continued. "Of course I do not have a pre-contract with Real Madrid, that is obvious.

"I do not understand how a sports agency in Germany can know more than we do here.

"I just cannot explain it. As to me having signed some kind of contract, the people here would be the first to know and not some agency in Germany. It is complete rubbish."

Reports in Spain suggested that Schuster had been advising Madrid on the players that he would like them to target and that Cristiano Ronaldo was top of the list.

When asked at the press conference on Friday morning about the news that the forward had signed a new deal with Manchester United, Schuster was not interested.

"I do not have any opinion on that because it does not concern me at all," he explained.

Mourinho's agent, Jorge Mendes, was reported in Spanish sports daily AS to have informed Madrid that the coach would be prepared to take the reins in the summer at the Bernabeu.

However, Mourinho revealed in his Friday press conference that he has instructed his agent not to talk to any rival clubs in a bid to calm rumours of his impending departure.

I hope Real Madrid won't play Leeds or else we'll hear: "Shusters from Siberia"

Why would Schuster know this about Jose?

"Realiable" sources tell us:

Chelsea expect Jose Mourinho to become the new England manager when he leaves the club in the summer. (Daily Mirror, Daily Mail)

The Stamford Bridge club will then move to install Jurgen Klinsmann in place of Mourinho. (The Sun)

Ok...that's settled then...