Schalke unhappy with Ailton offer

According to reports in Germany, Qatar officials have offered the Brazilian striker, who has not featured for any nation at international level yet, a ‚é¼1 million plus deal if he will become a Qatar national and help them realise their dream of taking the small country to the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany.

Ailton has already agreed to join Schalke in the summer and they are not happy with the Qatar offer - though the player insists it is his decision to make.

"This decision regards only me and my family, it's none of Rudi Assauer's business," he said.

"I and I alone will make up my mind next week," said Ailton, who has already agreed to leave Bremen for Schalke next summer.

Schalke's general manager Rudi Assauer is afraid that potential World Cup qualifiers and the long journeys to the Gulf would distract Ailton's commitment to Schalke and expressed his opposition.

"We are not happy Ailton hasn't talked about that with us. The deal with Qatar is not in our interest," claimed Assauer.