Jürgen Klopp is set, according to BILD and Kicker, to spring a surprise with his first squad as Germany manager. The coach plans to call up a player from promoted side Elversberg.
The player in question is 23-year-old right-back Felix Keidel. He won promotion to the Bundesliga with Elversberg last season and has therefore played only three matches at the highest level so far.
Elversberg have wasted no time surprising friend and foe this season. The promoted side have beaten Borussia Mönchengladbach and Bayer Leverkusen, and narrowly lost to Bayern Munich (1-2).
Keidel is Elversberg's first-choice right-back. According to Transfermarkt, he is worth €1.2 million. German media are describing Klopp's planned call-up as a gigantic stunt.
BILD and Kicker also expect Denis Undav definitively not to be included in Germany's squad. The striker, who scored three times at the 2026 World Cup, is being left at home despite being fit.
At the end of this month, Germany face the Netherlands, Greece and Serbia in the Nations League.