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Per a new report by AZ, Schalke goalkeeper Alexander Nübel is still deciding whether he wants to leave Schalke for Bayern. He had an impressive U-21 Championship campaign with the German U-21 National Team and has since received offers from clubs in England, Spain, and Italy. The report also suggests that the 22-year-old is maintaining “radio silence” with Bayern while he weighs his options. His contract with Schalke expires at the end of next season (June 2020), but he still has not agreed to sign a three-year extension offered to him.
Nübel has been linked with a move to Bayern Munich this summer as a potential successor to Manuel Neuer. Part of Nübel’s desire to leave Schalke comes from the fact that they signed Markus Schubert earlier this month from Dynamo Dresden for approximately €1 million. From Schalke’s perspective, the plan to make Schubert the first goal keeper presumed that Nübel would definitely leave this summer.
As for Bayern, AZ suggests that they are planning to acquire Nübel on a free transfer if he refuses to sign a contract extension with Schalke. It’s a bit of a tricky situation for him, because he would not be the starting goalkeeper at either club. As BFW’s own Chuck Smith put it earlier this month when contact between Nübel and Bayern back at the beginning of the month:
Given that Manuel Neuer, Sven Ulreich, and Christian Früchtl are currently Bayern’s three goalkeepers on the roster, a move for Nübel would likely mean that either Ulreich or Früchtl move on.
It’s a big decision for the 22-year-old. The best-case scenario for him and Bayern is perhaps that he refuses to sign an extension with Schalke, Bayern acquires him on a free transfer next summer, and then the club can assess the future of both Ulreich and Fruchtl as well. Neuer has missed a fair amount of games due to injuries in the past few seasons, so even if Ulreich and Früchtl both move on next summer, Nübel could see some decent time and be molded into Neuer’s long-term replacement once he eventually moves on.