Former Bundesliga player Almog Cohen touts Daniel Peretz as “Neuer 2.0”

Bayern Munich’s goalkeeping carousel has taken its faire share of twists and turns this summer and the transfer window is still open for another two weeks or so. Manuel Neuer’s return to fitness has experienced yet another setback, but both Yann Sommer and Alexander Nubel have already left Bayern for Inter Milan and VfB Stuttgart, respectively.

Before last week, Bayern was under the impression that they were looking for a Neuer, number 1 stand-in until the Germany captain marked his return from injury, but now that’s changed. The front office is trusting Sven Ulreich to stand in until Neuer returns and have instead made a move to go for an Ulreich backup rather than a Neuer stand-in.

It was reported earlier in the week that Bayern had reached a “total agreement” to sign 23-year-old Maccabi Tel Aviv keeper Daniel Peretz to be the Ulreich backup. He’s a name that’s significantly lesser known than some of the other targets that had been previously linked with Bayern like David de Gea or Yassine Bouno, but he comes with backing from a former Bundesliga player.

Almog Cohen, who is now a sporting director for Israeli Premier League side Maccabi Netanya, played for both FC Nürnberg and Ingolstadt during his playing career and recently touted Peretz as “Neuer 2.0.”

“Daniel is Manuel Neuer 2.0., the Israeli Neuer. He’s a really big talent with a good overall package of reflexes and control of the penalty box,” Cohen enthused of the 23-year old (as per Bild’s Nico Linner, via @iMiaSanMia). “I’ve been following him for 3-4 years - that’s when he made another big development. Daniel has a real working mentality, always wants to develop - for example working in the weight room, although he already has a good physique.”

Photo by ANP via Getty Images

In a bit of a reality check, too, Cohen is well aware that the Bundesliga is steps above the Israeli Premier League in terms of quality, intensity, and physicality, so there are, of course, areas of Peretz’s overall game that need to improve to be able to meet Bayern’s high standards. “There’s a really big difference between the Israeli league and the Bundesliga. In order to be able to really help Bayern, Daniel has to get better in all areas: from his physique to his understanding of the game. He can still make a few mistakes,” he explained.

Cohen is still confident in Peretz’s ability, though, and feels that he would greatly benefit from being able to work alongside both Ulreich and Neuer at Sabener Strasse day in and day out. “If Peretz gets to work with Neuer and Ulreich at Bayern for another year, he can eventually join the list of the 15 best goalkeepers in the world - and certainly become Bayern’s #1 when Neuer retires at some point,” he said.