Bayern weigh Baumann favourite against Karius option for Neuer’s heir

Manuel Neuer is set to retire after this season, prompting FC Bayern Munich to search for an experienced keeper behind Jonas Urbig.

Sky, the Pay‑TV broadcaster, lists Oliver Baumann, Loris Karius and Bernd Leno as possible successors, with TSG Hoffenheim’s Baumann currently the favourite.

The report describes Karius as an option and an alternative to the favourite Baumann, using the phrase “Nach Neuer” to frame the hunt.

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Baumann emerges as favourite

Oliver Baumann, 36, has been Hoffenheim’s first‑choice goalkeeper since 2014, accumulating 452 league appearances, a club record. Those matches place him among the Bundesliga’s top‑ten players with the most appearances. He has not yet won a major trophy, which makes a potential move to Bayern an attractive scenario. Hoffenheim have secured 23‑year‑old Nahuel Noll as a successor; he spent the previous season on loan at Hannover 96 before joining SC Paderborn.

Bayern’s goalkeeper hunt intensifies as Karius joins shortlist

Noll has featured in nine Bundesliga games, conceding eleven goals while keeping three clean sheets. As of the 10 December market‑value update, his valuation stands at €2.5 million. Baumann’s contract runs until 2028, meaning Bayern would need to negotiate a transfer fee should he depart.

Karius and Leno as alternatives

Loris Karius, 33, would become the next Schalke goalkeeper to join Munich if selected. The former Liverpool player overcame a difficult spell after the 2018 Champions League final loss before re‑establishing form at Schalke. He helped Schalke achieve promotion and was linked with a German national team call‑up after a strong start to the season.

Karius has logged 104 Bundesliga appearances, 30 Premier League matches and 13 Champions League games. After Neuer and Alexander Nübel, he would be the third Schalke keeper to move to Bayern.

Bayern paid €30 million for Neuer in 2011, while Nübel left on a free transfer in 2020 after his contract expired. Nübel spent six years under contract with Bayern, including loan spells at Monaco and VfB Stuttgart, before joining Besiktas, wearing the Bayern shirt only four times.

Unlike Nübel, Bayern would have to pay a fee for Karius because he extended his contract with Schalke until 2028 in June. Bernd Leno, 34, is also on Bayern’s radar; he has been in England since 2018 and has guarded Fulham since 2022.

Leno previously played for Bayer Leverkusen, making 233 Bundesliga appearances, and has added 261 Premier League and 37 Champions League matches to his résumé. Unlike Baumann and Karius, Leno will be a free agent in the summer and is reportedly open to a move to Munich. He won the FA Cup in 2020 and the League Cup in 2021 with Arsenal, though he has not yet secured a national league title.