Bayern preparing for life after Neuer: Urbig to be No.1, Baumann favoured as backup
Jonas Urbig is set to take over as first-choice while Oliver Baumann is the favoured experienced option, though his pursuit of a Bundesliga record complicates a move.
Bayern Munich has quietly begun shaping its goalkeeper plans for the post-Manuel Neuer era, with internal decisions pointing to Jonas Urbig as the club's next first-choice keeper and Oliver Baumann emerging as the preferred experienced backup.
Neuer's contract runs until June 2027 and the long-time captain is recovering from a partially torn tendon in his right foot, leading club leaders to prepare for the possibility that his playing career could finish when his deal expires next summer.
Backup shortlist and the Baumann dilemma
Among the names considered as an experienced deputy, 36-year-old Oliver Baumann of Hoffenheim is reportedly the leading candidate. Baumann is a well-known figure in the Bundesliga with 532 league appearances to date and the profile of a goalkeeper who could bring immediate stability to Bayern's dressing room.
A further advantage for Baumann is his prior working relationship with Michael Rehner, Bayern's goalkeeping coach, from their time together at Hoffenheim. That familiarity is seen as a factor in the club's interest.
But Baumann faces a significant personal dilemma: he is under contract at Hoffenheim until 2028 and is pursuing a major career milestone. With 532 Bundesliga appearances, he needs 71 more matches to surpass Karl-Heinz Körbel's record of 602 games. Staying with Hoffenheim would let him continue that quest, while a move to Bayern — where he would likely serve mainly as Urbig's backup — could curtail his chances to become the Bundesliga's all-time appearance leader.
Bayern's shortlist also includes Bernd Leno of Fulham, who is under contract through 2027 with a club option to extend, and Loris Karius, whose future could depend on Schalke's league status. Financial and sporting considerations make Leno a potentially more affordable option if Fulham does not activate its extension clause.
For supporters, the club's preference for Jonas Urbig as the new first-choice goalkeeper and the possibility that an experienced figure like Baumann will arrive as a substitute mark significant changes on the horizon at Bayern after Neuer's long tenure.
Photo: press material from the event
