The Lineup Loses Its Shape
MUNICH — Manuel Neuer will stay at Bayern Munich for at least one more season. The club announced Friday that its 40-year-old captain has signed a one-year extension, keeping the goalkeeping great in Munich as he chases a personal milestone.
Neuer is now 597 appearances away from becoming the fifth player in Bayern history to reach 600 matches for the club. He first joined Bayern 15 years ago. Despite fitness issues this season, he has remained the first-choice goalkeeper and delivered several strong performances in the Champions League.
The trophy did not need much decoration; the season had already done most of the talking.
The timing matters. Bayern plays its final Bundesliga game of the season on Saturday at home against Cologne. The extension was announced the day before that match, a quiet bit of business wrapped before the curtain falls on the league campaign.
The Replacement Question
Behind Neuer, Jonas Urbig is being prepared as the long-term successor. He has increasingly featured in matches this season, and Neuer has taken on a mentoring role with the younger goalkeeper. Sven Ulreich, Neuer's long-time understudy, has also signed on for another year.
"Manuel and Sven will continue to support Jonas on his path to becoming the future of FC Bayern," board member for sport Max Eberl said in a statement.
Bayern won its 13th German league title a month ago. The team can add a domestic double if it beats Stuttgart in the German Cup final on May 23. That would be Bayern's first double since 2020.
The Waiting Game
There is something unusual about a 40-year-old captain still being the future of his club rather than its past. Neuer has managed that trick, for now.