Borussia Mönchengladbach’s veto for a winter transfer from Yann Sommer to FC Bayern makes it more difficult to solve the goalkeeping problem with the German record champions.
However, the Munich team will not remove the 34-year-old Swiss as a preferred candidate to replace captain Manuel Neuer, who will be out at least until the end of the season after a broken leg. The Basta from Mönchengladbach rated coach Julian Nagelsmann in the training camp more as part of the transfer poker.
Virkus: “Will not give up Yann Sommer”
“I didn’t read the headlines and I fainted,” Nagelsmann said in Doha. Looking at Gladbach’s sports director Roland Virkus, the Bayern coach remarked. “I think it’s part of the job that you put on a poker face in this area.” Sports director Hasan Salihamidzic was also working “generally at full speed” on a solution in Qatar, reported Nagelsmann: “We’ll see what’s going on in the transfer market.”
“We will not give up Yann Sommer. That’s what we told Bayern,” Gladbach’s sports director Virkus told the “Rheinische Post” on Saturday. Sommer is said to be very keen on a change. His contract with Borussia expires at the end of the season. Gladbach could currently still achieve a transfer fee. In the room is a sum in the single-digit million range. In addition, Gladbach would have to find a replacement for Sommer. According to Sky information, Sommer Gladbach’s Vice President Rainer Bonhof personally asked for approval.
Salihamidzic also spoke on Saturday, but before the Virkus statement became public. “I don’t like talking about players from other clubs,” said Salihamidzic when asked about the summer. “Of course we’re concerned with the goalkeeping issue. Manuel’s injury hit us hard, that’s clear. But we’ll do our job now, check options and then make a decision at some point.”
Ulreich is the current Neuer replacement in the training camp
One option besides Sommer would be to bring Alexander Nübel, who was loaned to AS Monaco, back to Munich early. Bayern would have to pay a transfer fee for the 26-year-old, although he is under contract with them until June 30, 2023. Salihamidzic said about the Nübel option: “We had very good communication between us, him and his management.”
The goalkeeper poker could still take some time, even if the Bundesliga continues on January 20 for Bayern with the game at third-placed RB Leipzig. “The transfer market period ends on January 31. Until then we will either do something or not,” said Salihamidzic.
In the training camp, Sven Ulreich is the current replacement for Neuer. In addition, without the loaned Nübel, Bayern only have inexperienced young goalkeepers. Without a new top goalkeeper, the Bayern bosses feel that the risk of being able to achieve the high goals for the season with this line-up is too great. Nagelsmann built ahead anyway. He would also “trust” Ulreich the role as number one.
