When Bayern Munich announced the signing of Alexander Nubel from Schalke 14 months ago, the comparisons with a certain Manuel Neuer were impossible to ignore.
Like arguably the most celebrated goalkeeper of the 21st century, Nubel had established himself as one of Europe’s next-best shot-stoppers in front of the baying Veltins Arena crowd before being hand-picked to join the all-star cast of FC Hollywood.
While Nubel felt like ‘one for the future’, it was assumed that he would have a big role to play in the present too.
Neuer was struggling with both form and fitness last year; a series of injury issues slowing the cat-like reflexes of a 30-something glovesman. The fall of Neuer and the rise of Nubel, back then, felt like only a matter of time.
Although, with the benefit of hindsight, it seems that reports of Neuer’s demise have been greatly exaggerated.
At the age of 34, Neuer has enjoyed a remarkable late-career bloom in the manner of Michael Keaton, reeling off hit after hit to silence the critics who were far too quick to consign him to the scrapheap.
And this has left Nubel in a rather awkward position. The 24-year-old has played just two games of football in 2020/21 – against Atletico Madrid in a Champions League dead-rubber and third-tier Duren in the DFB Pokal.
“This situation is unsatisfactory,” agent Stefan Backs told Kicker, suggesting that Nubel will look to leave Munich on a short-term basis in the summer window.
“You have to think about a loan in the summer when Alex no longer plays.”
Fortunately for Nubel, there is no shortage of top European clubs in the market for a new goalkeeper. Chelsea and Borussia Dortmund, for instance. There is also Ajax, who recently lost Andre Onana to a lengthy ban, while age is catching up with 36-year-old Samir Handanovic at Inter Milan.
But what about Tottenham Hotspur?
While Neuer is proof of the dangers of writing off a World Cup-winning goalkeeper, Hugo Lloris’s time as an elite-level stopper certainly appears to be coming to an end. Joe Hart, meanwhile, is hardly a long-term solution in reserve.
Tottenham were keen on Nubel during his time at Schalke and, if Bayern are willing to grant him a loan move away from Bavaria, expect Spurs to be at the front of the queue again (talkSPORT).
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
