Olli Kahn sees Alexander Nübel as the future of Bayern Munich and Germany, backs Neuer over ter Stegen.

Alexander Nübel has been impressive since coming on to the soccer scene in Germany. Nübel currently plays for Schalke and has also climbed up the ranks in the German youth national teams where he was part of the team that went to the U-21 FIFA World Cup final this summer. Due to his style of play as a sweeper keeper, the fact that he’s German, and that he comes from Schalke, Nübel has also been compared to the great Manuel Neuer and linked with Bayern Munich as his successor.

Oliver Kahn, who will soon become part of the Bayern Munich board, recently heaped praise on the young Schalke keeper. Kahn said (Kicker),

His development has gone very quickly and impressively. Not only has he has delivered top performances at Schalke, but he also is already now captain at 23 years old. I think it’s important to experience what it means to accept responsibility even at a young age. Both things, delivering one’s performance and rising to the role of captain, are a real challenge for young players.

Kahn brings up an interesting point not often raised about Nübel. Many people often talk about his great goalkeeping qualities but not about his leadership and that he’s captaining a club like Schalke at 23.

In regards to becoming a member of Germany’s first team, Kahn thinks Nübel is not yet ready, but the job could be his in the future. He said,

Looking ahead, he has the quality for it, but at the moment we have an absolute elite goalkeeper in the experienced world-class keeper Manuel Neuer as well as a great keeper in Marc-André ter Stegen, who is delivering excellent performances at Barcelona.

No one can talk about German goalkeepers nowadays without mention of the battle for the no. 1 spot between Manuel Neuer and Marc-André ter Stegen. Kahn backs Neuer in that race, saying simply, “I currently see no reason for changing keepers.”