Manuel Neuer has been the undisputed first-choice goalkeeper at Bayern Munich for over a decade, but his latest injury problems could force the Bundesliga heavyweights into an unprecedented change.
German news outlet Bild reports that Die Rekordmeister are in the market for a new keeper but only one that doesn’t threaten Neuer’s position in the long term.
Bayern have bet on Neuer for the past 12 years, and they are not willing to give up on him just yet, despite the keeper suffering a setback in his recovery from a skiing injury he sustained in December.
Whether Neuer can attain his usual peak performance is still uncertain. However, Bayern want to provide him with every opportunity for a thorough recovery, free from any additional stress or pressure.
The club have begun scouring the market for stop-gap options, and at the top of the list is Chelsea’s controversial keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
For most of his career at Stamford Bridge, the Spaniard has struggled under the weight of his initial price tag after joining Chelsea in a world record €80 million move.
However, Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel is open to reuniting with the 28-year-old at the Allianz Arena, having worked with him in London – although Arrizabalaga was playing second fiddle at the time.
Bayern are trying to negotiate a loan with an option to buy – a smart strategy from the German champions as it would allow them to gauge Neuer’s recovery without being committed to his temporary replacement.
The tricky part of Bayern’s plan will be convincing Chelsea to do business, as Arrizabalaga is considered a part of Mauricio Pochettino’s project.
Bayern have added goalkeeping expert Michael Rechner to their sporting committee, and the 43-year-old was asked for his assessment of various goalkeepers.
In addition to Arrizabalaga, Ajax’s Geronimo Rulli and Sevilla’s wantaway Yassine Bono are among the keepers on Bayern’s radar.
AC Milan’s Mike Maignan and Porto’s Diogo Costa are the more high-profile names on Bayern’s list, but signing either would mean giving up on Neuer.
