After a nail-biting victory against RB Leipzig on Saturday, Bayern Munich suffered a big blow on Saturday. Manuel Neuer had to undergo surgery on his knee to sort out an injury problem. The club captain is expected to be out of action for at least four weeks, missing crucial Champions League games against RB Salzburg.
The temporary void in the starting lineup left by Neuer will be filled by Sven Ulreich in the following weeks. According to Bild, Ulreich is eager to extend his stay in Bavaria beyond the current season. In order to get a new contract, Ulreich will have to deliver quality performances in the next four weeks.
Ulreich returned to Bayern at the start of last summer’s transfer window after spending one year at Hamburg. The German goalkeeper left Die Roten in 2020 to get consistent playing time. However, the departure of Alexander Nubel on a two-year loan deal to Monaco allowed Ulreich to make a return to Bavaria.
The second spell at Die Roten has been frustrating for Sven Ulreich. He was sidelined for weeks in Hinrunde due to a serious injury. Ulreich has struggled to impress in the limited playing time he has got this season. The next four weeks give him the ideal opportunity to get back in the rhythm and earn himself a new deal at the club.
Nubel has no plans to terminate his loan contract with Monaco. There is also a good chance that Nubel will be leaving Bavaria permanently in 2023 since Neuer is expected to sign a new deal. The contract extension of Neuer will limit Nubel’s playing time, so a move away from the club will be a better prospect for the young goalkeeper.
In such a scenario, Rekordmeister needs a very solid deputy for Neuer. Sven Ulreich has previously proved himself as a very able backup for Neuer. He did a fine job for Die Roten when Neuer was struggling with a foot injury a few years ago. The former Hamburg shot-stopper needs to emulate similar performances in the next few weeks to earn a new deal at Rekordmeister.
Apart from Ulreich, Arminian Bielefeld’s Stefan Ortega is reportedly the other candidate that could deputise Neuer in the next few seasons. Ortega was also linked with a move to Bayern last summer before the club eventually brought Ulreich back to Bavaria.
The crucial four weeks for Ulreich begin with a trip to Bochum on Saturday. The two Champions League games against RB Salzburg and Bundesliga clash against Bayer Leverkusen are the big games in the next four weeks. Die Roten is currently leading the league table by nine points after last weekend’s positive results from matchday 21 of the Bundesliga.