Bayern Munich will have decisions to make next summer in the goalkeeping department of the squad. They have to address the situation of Alexander Nubel, while Sven Ulreich will become a free agent since his deal at Bayern will expire at the end of the season.
Ulreich has been a fine deputy for Manuel Neuer for the past few seasons. He left the club to join Hamburg for one season in 2020 after spending five seasons in Bavaria. After the arrival of Alexander Nubel from Schalke, Ulreich moved on to get regular playing time.
The record Bundesliga champions brought Ulreich back to the club in 2021 after loaning Nubel to Monaco for two years. Ulreich initially signed a one-year deal, but Die Roten decided to extend it by another year at the end of last season. His game time was scarce last season since Manuel Neuer was fit for most of the season.
Sven Ulreich is currently enjoying a good run in the first team after Manuel Neuer suffered a shoulder injury at the start of October. Ulreich managed to keep three clean sheets in the last six games. While talking to Sky Sports this week, Ulreich expressed his desire to stay at Bayern beyond this season and eventually retire at the club in two years.
"“I’ve always said that I’m enjoying it here. I think we’ll talk about that at some point. It’s still too early, but I can very well imagine staying here.”“I’ll be 35 next year. Not too much left. But I’m not thinking about the end of my career just yet. I still plan to play for two more years. As long as you are healthy and having fun, you should play.”"
Bayern has a tricky situation to handle next summer. Nubel is in no mood to sit on the bench once his loan spell comes to an end with Monaco. The young German goalkeeper has hinted towards a permanent exit from Die Roten if he is not going to play regularly.
Manuel Neuer has shown no signs of decline until now. He signed a two-year deal at the end of last season and hinted towards retiring at Bayern. The veteran goalkeeper wants to play every game and contribute to the team’s success. Unless Neuer agrees to share playing time with Nubel, both of them are unlikely to stay at Bayern. The most likely outcome will be Nubel sealing a permanent transfer away from Bavaria.
Ulreich will get a new one-year contract if Nubel ends up leaving Bayern. If the Bavarian club finds a way to give Neuer and Nubel adequate playing time from next season, Sven Ulreich may have to leave or become the third-choice goalkeeper. As of now, Die Roten considers goalkeepers from youth setup as the third choice option in the first team.
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Sven Ulreich has done a very sound job for Bayern in the limited opportunities he has gotten over the years. He also enjoys a very good relationship with Neuer. A new deal will be deserved for him, but the situation in the goalkeeping department is complex. Die Roten is likely to make a final decision on his future at the end of the season. For now, Ulreich has to focus on the chances he is getting in the absence of Neuer. He is expected to start in the goal against Inter Milan on Tuesday.