Stefan Wessels sees Alexander Nübel as Manuel Neuer’s successor

Stefan Wessels commented on Manuel Neuer’s much-discussed interview. The DFB U20 goalkeeping coach also spoke about the successor to the 36-year-old.

“It was an authentic interview. As I see Manu, he is very reflective and gave this interview very consciously. He also knew what kind of outcry there would be. He chose strong words,” said Wessels in an interview with sports1.

The 44-year-old assumes that Neuer will be in goal for the German national team at the home European Championship in 2024. “Because I believe that Manu will get really fit again and come back to his peak. He has worked so hard in the past decade that he will simply be number 1 again,” said Wessels.

The North Rhine-Westphalian, who played at Bayern Munich from 1998 to 2003, also commented on Alexander Nübel. “I didn’t understand Nübel’s decision,” said Wessels about Nübel’s move from Schalke to Munich in the summer of 2020.

And further: “I don’t know if he had any hopes of playing, but for me this step came too early. It was clear to me that Nübel would not play regularly at Bayern as long as Manuel Neuer was at Bayern. Game practice is in right now so important at a young age. With Monaco, Nübel has found a really good club where he can develop further.”

According to Wessels, the 26-year-old is Neuer’s most likely successor at FCB: “If you look at the overall package, on paper he’s right at the top of Neuer’s possible successors.”