When new Germany head coach Jürgen Klopp names his first squad on 17 September, all eyes will be on the goalkeeping spot. Who becomes the new No. 1 after Julian Nagelsmann and Manuel Neuer?
For Thomas Helmer, a European champion in 1996 and former Bayern player, the answer is clear. "Looking at it right now: Nübel, who is playing sensationally in Istanbul and simply has match practice, is certainly a candidate," he stressed to Sport1.
Alexander Nübel has hit top form since swapping Bayern Munich for Besiktas, keeping six clean sheets in his first nine competitive matches. Even so, Helmer still sees it as a "big question" who will ultimately succeed Neuer.
For his short-term comeback for the 2026 World Cup, Neuer had won back his regular spot from Oliver Baumann, but he has now retired for good. Quite a few experts are also backing his designated Bayern successor Jonas Urbig, who travelled to the World Cup as a training goalkeeper alongside Neuer, Baumann and Nübel but was not in the official squad.
Helmer is sceptical about that scenario. "The question is how much playing time he will really get under Vincent Kompany," he asked. "Just one cup game against Osnabrück for now - and I don't mean that disrespectfully at all - certainly won't be enough."
Ter Stegen on the verge of DFB comeback?
At Bayern, they have stressed that Urbig should get his minutes behind first-choice goalkeeper Neuer, but Helmer believes that is nowhere near enough for the role of Germany's new No. 1. "In the goalkeeping position, you need someone who plays all the time," he said.
That description would also fit Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who became Ajax's first-choice goalkeeper after his long-term injury last season following his move to Amsterdam. "It was a really great conversation. For me personally, I simply have to try to stay healthy now. I think that is the most important thing," he told RTL and Sky about an initial exchange with Klopp.