Will he extend his contract at FC Bayern Munich and return to the Germany squad? The decision is Manuel Neuer's alone

With the season finale fast approaching, Manuel Neuer is once again dominating the headlines. Yet the situation has remained virtually unchanged for weeks.

Indications have persisted for weeks that the 40-year-old FC Bayern captain will extend his career and sign a one-year contract extension. Sky reported at the end of April that Neuer had informed the club's hierarchy of his desire to remain between the Munich posts beyond the summer, and the Münchner Abendzeitung even claimed an agreement was in place. On Wednesday, Sky and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano both reported that the deal had been finalised.

Neuer has reportedly accepted a pay cut of up to €20m gross per year and should put pen to paper before Saturday's final Bundesliga match against 1. FC Köln. The DFB-Pokal final against VfB Stuttgart follows a week later.

Bayern officials have repeatedly stated that the decision to extend their partnership for another year rests with Neuer, and honorary president Uli Hoeneß told the podcast "Auf eine weiß-blaue Tasse": "If it were up to me, we would keep him for another year."

Jonas Urbig will continue as number two, alternating with Neuer as he has done this season, while the captain assumes an even more hands-on mentoring role for the 22-year-old. A clear agreement is already in place. With two games left, Urbig has made 21 appearances. Sven Ulreich is expected to stay as third-choice, with his own contract extension imminent, while home-grown prospect Leonard Prescott continues to press for opportunities and may be loaned out for regular game time.

Manuel Neuer: A return to the German national team is once again being considered.

Neuer has shown several times this season that he remains crucial for Bayern in big games. Almost every one of his standout performances has reignited calls for his return to the German national team for the 2026 World Cup. Nevertheless, the situation has been clear for months.

The veteran has repeatedly stated that he has no intention of reversing his retirement from the DFB squad. "We don't need to bring this up at all," he said after his strong performance against Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final. "We're not talking about the national team right now. I've said my piece and am now focusing on FC Bayern."

National team manager Julian Nagelsmann had long since settled on TSG Hoffenheim's Oliver Baumann after Marc-Andre ter Stegen's latest injury, Neuer's designated successor. "Manu has retired of his own accord; he has repeated this on several occasions, and so it doesn't make much sense to keep discussing it," the national team manager emphasised.

Nevertheless, the debate was reignited on Tuesday when Kicker speculated that Neuer would appear on the provisional 55-man list—including at least five goalkeepers—that must be submitted to FIFA by Monday. The report offered no concrete evidence, and Nagelsmann has given no hint of a U-turn. Yet he has pulled a rabbit out of the hat before: in December 2023, on Sportstudio, he floated the idea of a Toni Kroos comeback, and the playmaker eventually returned for the 2024 European Championship on home soil.

The decision ultimately rests with Neuer, should he even want to don the eagle on his chest again. Yet Nagelsmann knows that reviving the idea could stir unrest: Baumann, long assured of the number one spot, would instantly become the backup. 

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