Karl-Heinz Rummenigge raves about Arminia Bielefeld keeper Stefan Ortega

Everything in the transfer rumor mill at Bayern Munich seems to revolve on Erling Haaland, Robert Lewandowski, and the slew of players that Bayern is negotiating new contracts with (Serge Gnabry, Kingsley Coman, Thomas Muller, etc.).

For now, former Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge isn’t interested in entertaining Haaland transfer rumors and feels Lewandowski is 100% fit to stay at the club long term, but speaking on Bild-TV recently, he had high praises for Arminia Bielefeld goalkeeper Stefan Ortega.

“I see him very positively. For me one of the three or four best goalkeepers in the league. One thing has to be said clearly: the fact that Bielefeld was not relegated last year bears the name Ortega. He played a great season, he is playing a great season this year too, he has an unbelievably good positional play, he has good reflexes. He could be maybe two inches taller, then he would also be a goalkeeper for top teams. But basically a very interesting player,” Rummenigge said of Bielefeld’s number one keeper (Sport Bild).

It was only a few short weeks ago that Ortega and Bielefeld nearly earned a point at the Allianz Arena had it not been for a 71st minute goal from Leroy Sane. As if very often the case for goalkeepers playing against Bayern in the Bundesliga, Ortega was in sensational form that afternoon in Munich, registering a total of 8 saves from Bayern’s 9 that were on target. In total, Bayern had registered a total of 22 shots, but Ortega had made it seem like it was going to be another frustrating missed opportunity for Julian Nagelsmann and company before Sane’s strike that had plenty of knuckle and movement from just outside the 18-yard box.

Despite his pronounced admiration of Ortega, Rummenigge said he still feels that Manuel Neuer is the “goalkeeper of the season.” He may not face as many shots on goal as Ortega does playing for Bielefeld, but Neuer has made vital saves in crucial moments that have saved and secured important points for Bayern.