Germany head coach Jürgen Klopp is sticking with Marc-Andre ter Stegen for now after a season disrupted by injuries. The goalkeeper is playing regularly again for Ajax Amsterdam.
In the battle to take over, ter Stegen saw off rivals including Bayern Munich's Jonas Urbig. For Sky pundit Dietmar Hamann, though, the first-choice role is still coming too soon for the 22-year-old. "As long as he is not playing every week, he is not a number one in the national team for me," Hamann explained in a public media round. In principle, however, he does believe Urbig is capable of taking on that role: "Maybe he can become that one day. But first he has to show that he is the number one at Bayern Munich. I wouldn't take the second step before the first there. If he does well as Bayern Munich's first-choice keeper at some point, then you can also talk about this role in the national team."
Hamann has another goalkeeper as his personal favourite. He says Besiktas Istanbul's Alexander Nübel would currently be his first choice. "Marc-Andre ter Stegen was injured for a long time and is now playing in the Netherlands. You have to wait and see there as well. My first choice would have been Alexander Nübel, who has done an outstanding job in Turkey. But I think that is a gut or instinctive feeling."
Even so, Hamann can understand ter Stegen's current call-up. The keeper has "somehow earned the right to be number one now". However, the former Germany international gives a mixed verdict on ter Stegen's previous appearances for his country: "His performances for the national team so far have been mixed. I am very curious to see how he performs."
Thursday will bring the first answer. Ter Stegen is set to start in the Nations League clash with the Netherlands, the first match under Klopp.