Manuel Neuer has signed a new Bayern Munich contract that ties him to the club until 2023. The Germany goalkeeper shows no sign of relinquishing his number one spot, which is bad news for the man signed to replace him.
Image: Imago Images/kolbert/B. Schreyer
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Even for a club, and a CEO, who rarely hesitate to blow their own trumpet, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge was pretty forthright in his assesment of the deal announced on Wednesday to keep Manuel Neuer at Bayern Munich until 2023.
"Manuel is the best goalkeeper in the world and our captain," he said.
While not everyone would agree with the first part of that assessment, it is a firm indication that the Bundesliga champions don't see the man they signed from Schalke in 2011 being dislodged any time soon.
At the time, plenty of observers assumed that, with Neuer turning 34 in March and having struggled to regain top form after a bad injury caused him to miss almost all of the 2017-18 season, a replacement had been found, and the man who popularized the 'sweeper-keeper' style would fade in significance.
Contrast in form
But, like his long-term teammate Thomas Müller, Neuer has got back to something approaching his best. He remains number one for club and country. Which is definitely not the case for Nübel.
The 23-year-old angered Schalke fans with his transfer decision, particularly given Neuer's move all those years ago. He was serving a suspension for a rash kung-fu kick on Frankfurt's Mijat Gacinovic at the time the deal was confirmed and missed four games through suspension including Schalke's 5-0 hammering in Munich.
A questionable display by 21-year-old understudy Markus Schubert in that particular game allowed Nübel to get straight back in the side after suspension, despite rumors that his decision to leave had angered coach David Wagner, who now favored building up Schubert. Wagner had already stripped Nübel of the captaincy.
After a decent reintroduction to the team, Nübel endured a torrid time against RB Leipzig, with a horrible early error followed by an erratic display that culminated in being booed by his own fans.
Schalke's sporting director Jochen Schneider stuck up for him, saying: "Alex has made the difference in so many games for us. So it happens that you make a mistake once in a while."
This error against RB Leipzig soon cost Nübel his starting spotImage: Getty Images/Bongarts/A. Grimm
But another poor display in a 3-0 loss to Cologne next week saw him benched for what turned out to be Schalke's last game before the coronvirus-induced hiatus. There he remained for the Bundesliga's return on Saturday when Schubert's weak kick handed Dortmund their second in a 4-0 win.
What next for Nübel?
His replacement's vulnerability may allow Nübel a path back when the Royal Blues host Augsburg on Sunday, but his bridges there are already burned.
Naturally then, Nübel must look to the future. Given the changing circumstances of the two men since January, it's difficult to see Nübel usurping Neuer in the next year or two. Will he really have to wait until 2023 when Neuer is 37? Well, maybe, if the man himself has anything to do with it.
"I look to the future with great optimism. I feel very comfortable and at home in Bavaria," Neuer said on signing his new deal. "FC Bayern are one of Europe’s top football clubs."
There has been some talk that Nübel agreed a contract that enshrined a certain number of games per season, but Bayern are not the sort of club to allow such things to color their choices. Experience is valued highly and Neuer is very firmly a Bayern man.
Nübel may still become that. But the question remains as to whether a man ambitious enough to make the move to Bayern in the first place will be content with waiting until he's 26 to be first choice.
Bundesliga transfers: Where will Havertz, Sancho, Götze and others end up
Whether they want to step up, are out of contract, or just don't fit in, many big stars are expected to move in the summer — despite the coronavirus pandemic. Among them are internationals and World Cup winners.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/A. Grimm
Kai Havertz - Bayer Leverkusen
Before the coronavirus pandemic, Kai Havertz was expected to fetch north of €100 million ($109 million). Real Madrid, Barcelona, Liverpool, Juventus and Bayern Munich had all expressed interest. Now? Bayern have taken themselves out of the running this year, and Leverkusen have maintained that they will not accept any "coronavirus discount" for their young star.
Image: imago images/L. Perenyi
Milot Rashica - Werder Bremen
It seems to be all but certain that the 23-year-old Kosovan will leave Bremen at the end of the season. The only question is where he'll go. Liverpool, Leipzig and Dortmund are all seen as potential destinations. Werder's sporting director, Frank Baumann, could really use the cash Rashica should bring on the transfer market, especially if the club go down.
Image: Getty Images/Bongarts/C. Mueller
Jadon Sancho - Borussia Dortmund
He still has two years left on his contract in Dortmund, but there are no shortage of rumors. Sancho is probably England's most gifted player at the moment, so it's no wonder that some of the Premier League's top clubs would love to bring the 20-year-old home. Manchester United and Chelsea are thought to have the inside track. Playing in the Champions League is a priority for the youngster.
Image: Reuters/M. Rehle
Mario Götze - Borussia Dortmund
The man who scored the goal that won Germany the 2014 World Cup will be out of contract in the summer, meaning Götze can leave BVB on a Bosman. During his short time at Hertha Berlin, Jürgen Klinsmann had expressed interest. There are also said to be several clubs in Italy, Spain and France who would like to sign the 27-year-old. AC Milan or Roma could be good bets to make it happen.
Image: Imago Images/Nordphoto
Andre Schürrle - Borussia Dortmund
Another World Cup winner is also on his way out at Dortmund. He's been on loan at Spartak Moscow but the Russians chose not to trigger a purchase option that would have set them back €7 million. If no offer comes from the Bundesliga, Schürrle can be expected to peddle his services to the highest bidder. Turkey or China seem like plausible landing points.
Image: Imago Images/S. Kivrin
Robin Gosens - Atalanta
The 25-year-old may not have played a single match in the Bundesliga, but the left back is on the wish list of several German clubs. Gosens, whose performances at Serie A outfit Atalanta have put him on Germany coach Joachim Löw's radar, is reportedly being courted by Borussia Dortmund, Eintracht Frankfurt and Schalke. His market value is estimated at €20 million.
Image: Imago-Images/Insidefoto/A. Staccioli
Dayot Upamecano - RB Leipzig
With his contract set to expire in 2021, RB Leipzig will need to move this summer if they are going to get a decent payoff for the 21-year-old . Bayern Munich are said to be interested, but the fixed transfer fee in his contract is €60 million. Leipzig are keen to extend his contract, but since it only runs for another year, his agent has been playing for time.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Images/J. Meyer
Malang Sarr - Nice
According to Nice sporting director, Julien Fournier, the French U21 international is definitely on his way to the Bundesliga this summer. Mönchengladbach, Leverkusen, Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig are all said to be after Sarr, who is regarded as one of the biggest young defensive talents in Europe. Only a team that qualified for the Champions League will have any chance of landing the 21-year-old.
