At the age of 38, German footballing legend Manuel Neuer is finally contemplating retirement. At least, that’s what the Bayern Munich legend let be known in Tuesday’s press conference ahead of his Bundesliga club’s Champions League fixture at Celtic.
Having just recently signed his second consecutive one-year contract extension with Bayern, and retired from the German national team following last summer’s Euros, Neuer admitted it was time to pass the torch. A “job-sharing” plan with new signing Jonas Urbig has been outlined.
“It’s true that there’s a certain agreement and that we’re trying to help Jonas develop,” Neuer remarked at the press conference. “Accordingly, there will be games in which – after consultation with our coach and goalkeeping team – Jonas plays.“
Neuer revealed little else beyond this. Most German football watchers tacitly assumed that a similar “handshake agreement” had been made when Bayern signed Alexander Nübel away from Schalke 04 ahead of the 2020/21 campaign. It might be the case that there was.
Nübel ended up making one league, one cup, and two Champions League appearances for Bayern that year. At the time, Nübel’s agent complaining that a “minimum threshold” of five appearances had not been met.
An extended two-year-loan arrangement with AS Monaco was then arranged for the current VfB Stuttgart keeper. Nübel presently serves the first year of his current two-year-loan at Stuttgart. Neuer’s one-time presumed successor also worked in Swabia on a one-year-loan last year.
The German record champions continue to hedge their bets in the matter of replacing Neuer. Israeli international Daniel Peretz is tied down to a long term deal. Nübel’s Stuttgart loan is known to contain an early recall/buyback option.
“If he had joined Bayern earlier, he would have already played a few games,” Neuer said of his new teammate Urbig. “I’m assuming next season there will be at least two [deployments] due to cup games I’m out of.”
“I think he’s very good,” Neuer added of his new 21-year-old training partner. “He has also integrated well into the team, which is especially important at the beginning because we are in the middle of a season.”
GGFN | Peter Weis
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