RPT-UPDATE 2-GM pays back Germany, signals fewer job cuts

* Revamp envisions 9,000-9,500 job cuts - GM's Reilly

* Germany's Merkel says GM has paid back loan

* Reilly says Germany's Bochum plant is safe for now

(Fixes typo in word 'reporters' in paragraph 2)

By Tom Kaeckenhoff and Erik Kirschbaum

DUESSELDORF/BERLIN, Nov 24 (Reuters) - General Motors [GM.UL] has paid back a loan from Germany and slightly lowered its target for job cuts at struggling European unit Opel.

Nick Reilly, the boss brought in from GM's thriving Asian operations to help revamp Opel, told reporters in Duesseldorf on Tuesday that his plans now call for cutting 9,000 to 9,500 jobs at Opel and British sister brand Vauxhall.

GM will present that plan to Opel's labour leaders on Wednesday, having decided not to sell Opel to auto parts maker Magna International (MGa.TO) and Russian lender Sberbank (SBER03.MM), who said they would cut 10,000 jobs.