Bayern Munich solve goalkeeping conundrum for next season
The past few days in the German media have witnessed a lot of speculation around the goalkeeping department at Bayern Munich. Hasan Salihamidzic and Marco Neppe had travelled to Monaco for talks with Alexander Nubel. The German goalkeeper is currently in the final seven months of his loan spell at the French club.
Nubel is not keen on returning to Bayern in the summer if he will not get adequate playing time. The German goalkeeper has been performing well at Monaco in the last 18 months, so playing second fiddle to Manuel Neuer doesn’t make sense. It does look like Die Roten has decided to send him on loan in the summer after extending the contract of Sven Ulreich on Friday, which has effectively solved the goalkeeping conundrum for next season.
Ulreich was set to become a free agent at the end of the current season. However, Bayern has no plans to part ways with him as they extended his contract until 2024. The negotiations were likely to be smooth with Ulreich since he was eager to stay at the club for one more season. The former Stuttgart shot-stopper delivered good performances in October after Neuer was sidelined with a shoulder injury.
Sven Ulreich has been a fine deputy for Manuel Neuer over the years. He will continue to fulfill the responsibilities of this role until 2024, while Nubel will most likely play regularly at another club. Another loan deal with Monaco will benefit all parties involved.
Nubel’s current contract at Bayern expires in 2025. The Bavarian club considers Nubel as the long-term successor of Neuer, so they reportedly wanted to extend his contract. However, Nubel is in no rush to commit his future to Die Roten. If Neuer continues to remain the first-choice goalkeeper in Bavaria at the start of 2024/25, Nubel will definitely explore a permanent transfer.
For now, Bayern has delayed the possible tough decision of having a new number one. Neuer has shown no signs of decline, so it makes sense for Die Roten to stick with him. Moreover, the 35-year-old shot-stopper is one of the big personalities and leaders in the squad.
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Neuer’s current deal at Bayern will expire at the end of next season. Considering his current form, there is a significant chance of him signing another extension at Die Roten. The club hierarchy will then have to find a way to manage his game time to ensure that Nubel also plays an adequate number of games throughout the season. Salihamidzic has resolved the situation for now, but they will have to make a tough decision in this part of the squad in the near future.