Ballack has not agreed United transfer move - agent

Germany captain Michael Ballack has not agreed to join Manchester United and is still weighing his options, his agent told German sports agency SID yesterday.

British newspaper The Guardian said earlier that United had lined up midfielder Ballack, named Germany's player of the year for a third time last week, to join them next season.

The paper said United had agreed that he would sign a pre-contract agreement at Old Trafford in January.

Ballack's agent, Michael Becker, told SID that United had made an inquiry through an intermediary but that he himself had not talked with United about Ballack and therefore not discussed any possible move.

"Michael Ballack is facing the most important decision of his career. Why would he prematurely sign in England if we haven't even spoken with the Italians and Spanish?"

Bayern Munich declined to comment on the report.

The club are encouraging Ballack to sign an extension to his contract which runs until July 2006.

Bayern chief Franz Beckenbauer urged Ballack to sign a new deal as soon as possible.

"Ballack has all the trump cards in his hand. I would seize the chance now and not wait too long.

"Who knows what will happen in a year? Perhaps you get an injury and cannot play in the (2006) World Cup that everyone's watching," he told Bild newspaper.

Bayern's chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said Ballack would be ill-advised to move to United.

"They are not the Manchester of before. If I were a player, I would laugh about it," he told Sport-Bild magazine.