At FC Bayern, plans are already underway for a potential major shake-up at the goalkeeper position. Should Manuel Neuer indeed retire at the end of the current season, Jonas Urbig is set to become the new No. 1. A new candidate has now emerged for the backup role: Finn Dahmen of FC Augsburg.
As reported by *kicker*, the 28-year-old is among the names being discussed by club officials at Säbener Straße. However, there have reportedly been no concrete talks between Bayern and either Dahmen or FC Augsburg so far.
The reason for these considerations is the still-uncertain future of Neuer and Sven Ulreich. For 40-year-old Neuer, signs are mounting that this season could be his last. In that case, 38-year-old Ulreich is also expected to retire.
Urbig is expected to take over as Neuer’s successor in the long term. According to the report, however, the Munich club would like to bring in an experienced goalkeeper to back up the 23-year-old. Dahmen would fit this profile perfectly.
Dahmen has earned a spot on the DFB national team
The Augsburg player has established himself as a regular Bundesliga starter in recent years and has also drawn attention from the DFB with his performances. After already being considered by Julian Nagelsmann, Jürgen Klopp has now also nominated him for his first squad as national team coach.
However, this very development could complicate a potential move to Munich. At FC Augsburg, Dahmen is a regular starter. At the record champions, on the other hand, he would initially be slated to be the No. 2 behind Urbig.
Regular playing time is likely to be an important factor for Dahmen, especially given his ambitions with the national team. It remains to be seen whether the 28-year-old would be willing to trade his starting spot in Augsburg for the role of backup at FC Bayern.
In any case, the situation is still in its early stages. The fact that Dahmen is being discussed internally at FCB does not mean that the Munich club is planning a concrete move.
Several candidates for the No. 2 spot
Moreover, Dahmen is not the first Bundesliga goalkeeper to be linked with the record champions. In the past, Daniel Heuer Fernandes of Hamburger SV and Oliver Baumann of TSG Hoffenheim were also mentioned as potential candidates.
The basic idea behind Bayern’s plans seems clear: Should Neuer retire, Urbig should not be blocked by another potential starting goalkeeper. Instead, the Munich club is apparently looking for an experienced goalkeeper who can support the 23-year-old and step in at any time.
The position of third-string goalkeeper could also be filled. With Leonard Prescott, Bayern have a top talent in their own ranks who is only 16 years old and, according to *kicker*, is a potential candidate for this role in the future.
For now, however, Neuer’s future remains the key factor. If the captain does indeed end his career and Ulreich also retires, Bayern would have to almost completely rebuild its goalkeeping roster.
Dahmen now presents another interesting option in this regard. However, the lead is not yet a hot one: as of now, no concrete talks have taken place.