Bayern Munich’s Manuel Neuer’s retirement and a long-term injury to FC Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen means the German men’s national team are without a starting goalkeeper. Head coach Julian Nagelsmann invited Bernd Leno from Fulham but the former Arsenal FC man turned him down. What gives?
“They told me I would be there, but that I wouldn’t get a game. That’s why I decided to train in London”, Leno told Bild (via Get German Football News). “Julian knows that I’m always there when they need me and that I can really help the team. But at 32, I’m no longer a newcomer. I’ve never put demands on Manuel and Marc, I’ve always delivered and never made jokes.”
Despite that announcement, the former Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper still aims for a return to the NT. Nevertheless, Janis Blaswich from RB Leipzig was chosen to join Oliver Baumann (TSG Hoffenheim) and Alexander Nübel (VfB Stuttgart, on loan from Bayern) as the goalkeeper pool for Die Mannschaft in their upcoming games.
