Manuel Neuer has agreed to a one-year contract extension with FC Bayern Munich, the club announced on Friday afternoon. The agreement ends speculation about the 40-year-old potentially retiring at the end of the current season. Bayern have simultaneously extended the contract of backup goalkeeper Sven Ulreich until 2027.
Neuer revealed a personal evaluation process influenced his decision. “I downloaded an app, similar to the ratings at a motorway service station with traffic light colours – red, yellow and green,” Neuer said on the club website. “Then I ticked boxes for training performance, match performance, how I feel, whether I’m happy… It was like a kind of diary and I have to say that at the end, 90 percent was green.”
Bayern president Herbert Hainer praised Neuer’s impact, stating, “FC Bayern has had a number of absolutely exceptional goalkeepers in its history – and Manuel Neuer occupies a very special place here. He is the face not only of one, but of two generations and a captain who is an outstanding role model on and off the pitch. We are proud of how he has shaped this club for over a decade.”
Sporting director Max Eberl emphasized a clear plan for the goalkeeping position. “We have a clear plan for the goalkeeping position and are implementing it step by step: Manuel Neuer, Sven Ulreich and Jonas Urbig form a goalkeeping team where everyone has their role and develops together. Manuel and Sven will continue to support Jonas on his path to becoming the future of FC Bayern. We are very much looking forward to a new season in this perfect constellation.”
Despite the emergence of Jonas Urbig as a potential long-term successor, Neuer has continued to demonstrate his quality, most recently in the 2-1 Champions League quarter-final first leg victory against Real Madrid. His leadership qualities are also considered vital, with former president Uli Hoeneß previously advocating for Neuer to mentor Urbig for another year.
The extension casts further doubt on the future of Alexander Nübel at Bayern. Nübel, signed from Schalke in 2020 as a potential replacement for Neuer, has spent the last two seasons on loan at AS Monaco and the last three at VfB Stuttgart. He is currently contracted to Bayern until 2030, but a return to Munich now appears unlikely.
Neuer has enjoyed a hugely successful 15-year spell with Bayern, winning 13 Bundesliga titles, five DFB-Pokals, two Champions League titles and two Club World Cups. He has also been named World Goalkeeper of the Year five times. The prospect of another Champions League challenge is believed to have been a key factor in his decision to extend his stay.
