Noah Atubolu has now become a lucky charm against him: can only a sensational transfer save the current biggest loser of the goalkeeper merry-go-round?

Rejected a contract extension, wanted out, watched a big-money successor arrive, then hit a standstill and barely saw any offers before sacking his agent: This transfer summer is likely to remain in Noah Atubolu's memory for a very long time. The designated Germany goalkeeper was in danger of ending up in the stands at SC Freiburg after a chain of negligent decisions.

Now, though, the picture has changed a little: Eintracht Frankfurt want Atubolu as their new number one and, more importantly, Atubolu now wants to join SGE too, seeing Eintracht as the "most stable alternative" after his plan to fulfil his Premier League dream went completely wrong. Now the two clubs somehow have to reach an agreement. Even so, a small happy ending is beckoning for Atubolu after months of growing uncertainty. A positional colleague can probably only dream of that right now.

Florian Kastenmeier wept heartbreakingly. 17 May 2026 was not only a genuine nightmare for Fortuna Düsseldorf and one of the darkest days in the club's recent history, but also for the captain of the Rhineland side. The disastrous 3-0 defeat at Greuther Fürth sealed the shocking relegation of a team that had declared themselves promotion contenders before the season. Afterwards, all the frustration, pain and anger built up over the most miserable of many miserable performances by a lifeless and dysfunctional side across 34 matchdays came pouring out of Kastenmeier.

Kastenmeier is the only player accepted by the fans after relegation

Kastenmeier was the only player that day who could still go anywhere near Düsseldorf's furious supporters without risking life and limb. While the rest of the Düsseldorf "team" were driven away in disgrace to chants of "We are Fortuna and you're not", the devastated Kastenmeier went over to the away end. He grieved with them and used a megaphone to offer words of apology to the supporters. They answered with encouraging applause and embraced their captain, who once again had done nothing wrong.

That scene summed up the standing Kastenmeier had built over seven years at the club and among the fans. At the start of 2020 he stepped in for Zach Steffen, who was injured at the time and on loan from Manchester City, as the number one for the entire second half of the Bundesliga season and never gave up that status again. From then on, Kastenmeier was one of the few constants in a Düsseldorf side that was constantly in transition because of strained finances.

Key players came and went, but Kastenmeier stayed and developed into one of the best goalkeepers in the 2. Liga. He was strong on the line and in one-on-ones, almost brilliant with the ball for a goalkeeper and valuable in build-up play, but he was also repeatedly prone to the odd major error, though he was always quickly forgiven for them.

Almost two years ago, the dream of returning to the Bundesliga as first-choice goalkeeper nearly came true, but Düsseldorf's fragile mental construct collapsed in historic fashion on home soil against VfL Bochum after taking a 3-0 lead from the first leg of the play-off. Two years and another historic collapse later, Kastenmeier had had enough.

IMAGO

Florian Kastenmeier makes the "hardest decision" of his life

Too much had happened during his time at Fortuna. The highs and lows, the 2024 cup semi-final, the near-promotion and the dramatic super-GAU in Fürth. Despite all the efforts of new sporting director Samir Arabi, whose first official act was to fly straight to Mallorca to see coach Alexander Ende and captain Kastenmeier, Kastenmeier decided not to sign a new contract with a Fortuna side lying in ruins.

Why should he, in the prime years of his football career, as one of the best goalkeepers in the second tier with ambitions to be a first-choice goalkeeper in the Bundesliga as well, take the bitter step down into the third division? Kastenmeier did not make the decision lightly and agonised over it for weeks. That is the only thing anyone could really hold against him, after all the club needed clarity quickly with a total overhaul looming, and only seven players had a valid third-division contract.

It was "the hardest decision I have ever had to make", the goalkeeper said in an emotional statement, credibly conveying his deep bond with the club, but also stressing that he now had to "embark on a new path": "I have set goals for my career that I want to achieve. Preferably with Fortuna. But those goals have recently moved far into the distance, and I am at an age where I have to take the next step in order to continue on my personal path."

Ultimately, nobody in Düsseldorf could hold it against him.

Kastenmeier turns down numerous clubs: has he overplayed his hand?

Yet Kastenmeier's understandable decision to leave Fortuna may also have been a fateful one. In the game, people are now whispering behind closed doors that he may have overplayed his hand because he was too picky.

Although he has had some decent enquiries, he still has not found a new club, and for weeks it has gone quiet around potential suitors.

He turned down his former coach Daniel Thioune, who once made him captain at Fortuna, because at Werder Bremen he would only have been the preferred option as the new number two behind and challenger to Karl Hein. According to kicker, he is also said to have rejected Hertha BSC, even though the Old Lady wanted to bring him in as their new first-choice goalkeeper after selling Tjark Ernst to Feyenoord Rotterdam. Rheinische Post report that an offer from Hertha is still on the table for him. He has not accepted it to date. Hannover 96 are also said to have shown interest, but Kastenmeier, as kicker put it, prefers a move abroad.

The Dutch or Belgian top flight may be central to Kastenmeier's plans. The goalkeeper is deeply rooted in Düsseldorf and very much a family man. He has three children, whom he may be reluctant to uproot from their familiar surroundings because of a professional decision.

Imago

Kastenmeier's chance of a happy ending: will he even play in the Champions League?

Elsewhere, according to Berliner Kurier, a highly attractive option could yet emerge. Como 1907 were allegedly already interested in Kastenmeier in summer 2025 and, now that he is available on a free transfer, that interest could flare up again, the paper speculated at the end of July at least. Nothing more has emerged in the case since then, however.

For Kastenmeier, currently perhaps one of the biggest losers in the slow-moving goalkeeper carousel, that would probably be a dream come true, though one that would require sporting compromises. Jean Butez is established under Cesc Fabregas and even led the team out as captain for the Serie A opener against Udinese. Kastenmeier would therefore be planned more as the number two. That role is currently filled by Emil Audero, who is, however, being linked with a move to Juventus as a backup.

The role of challenger would not come cheap in footballing terms. If Como's interest really does solidify and Kastenmeier signs there, he would join one of Italy's most up-and-coming clubs, who sensationally qualified for the Champions League just two years after promotion to Serie A. Financially too, the 29-year-old would probably be taking more than just one step forward.

That would turn the currently looming horror scenario of a season without a club into a small fairy tale after all. The critics who accused him of being too picky would have to fall silent at once and concede that, with his hesitation, he made exactly the right decision.

Right now, though, the image of a loser still somehow clings to Kastenmeier. But Atubolu's example shows how quickly the sluggish goalkeeper carousel in Germany and Europe can still start turning after all.

Florian Kastenmeier: performance data and statistics