Daniel Peretz looks back on his time with FC Bayern. The goalkeeper knew even when he signed that he would rarely play in Munich.
Daniel Peretz joined FC Bayern in the summer of 2023 with a clear understanding of his role. At the time, the Israeli goalkeeper did not expect to be a regular starter right away. In an interview with the British newspaper Daily Echo, he now explained why he still considers the move to Munich to have been valuable.
“The expectations for my role were clear. I knew I wouldn’t be playing,” said the 26-year-old. At the German record champions, Peretz faced a goalkeeping situation featuring Manuel Neuer and his longtime backup, Sven Ulreich. For the new signing from Maccabi Tel Aviv, this initially meant mostly work on the training field.
So it came as no surprise to him that his playing time would remain limited: “I knew I wouldn’t be the first choice. In the end, I made seven appearances for Bayern.”
Peretz wanted to use his time at Bayern to learn
From the very beginning, the goalkeeper apparently viewed his move as an opportunity to develop further in a challenging environment. He consciously accepted the prospect of few competitive matches: “I told myself: Okay, I’ll use these two seasons to learn. It was a great experience for me,” Peretz explained in retrospect.
His comments don’t sound like he’s settling scores over the division of roles at the time. Rather, the goalkeeper describes a decision in which, for him, training and gaining experience at a top-tier club were the primary priorities at first. During his time in Munich, he was also part of the squad that won the German championship in the 2024–25 season.
For the next step in his career, regular playing time subsequently became more important. Peretz initially moved to Hamburger SV on loan, but remained a backup there as well. It wasn’t until his subsequent move to FC Southampton that he secured the desired role as the starting goalkeeper.
With the Saints, he established himself as the number one goalkeeper after his winter transfer. In June, his permanent departure from FC Bayern was officially confirmed. This turned what had been a temporary loan into a permanent opportunity in England.
In Munich, Jonas Urbig is now slated to be Neuer’s long-term successor. Due to the captain’s latest injury, Urbig currently has the opportunity to take responsibility in goal for Bayern for several weeks.
Peretz is now forging his own path at Southampton. Despite his limited playing time, he still considers his two years with the German record champions to be an important part of his development.