February 21, 2023 / By mobanmarket
This is taken from the GFFN 100, our leading 150-page FREE publication ranking the best 100 players in France, see the full list and read every profile right here.
The discourse around Bayern Munich loanee Alexander Nübel has shifted considerably over the course of his two-year loan spell at AS Monaco. The German goalkeeper has bounced back from his difficult start in Ligue 1 to show why the Bavarian club chose him as the successor to Manuel Neuer’s throne.
Ultimately, Nübel may not return to Bayern Munich, with the German telling Get French Football News’ Luke Entwistle that it didn’t make sense for him to return to the Allianz Arena whilst Neuer retained the number one jersey. Nübel said remaining at Monaco was “a possibility” and it is one that the Principality club may be more inclined to explore after a positive 2022.
Arriving as the heir apparent to Neuer is no easy burden to shoulder, and it showed during his opening matches for Les Monégasques, with a litany of mistakes taking the headlines in what was a difficult start to Monaco’s 2021/22 season. However, by the end of the campaign, he had somewhat recovered, even if that recovery passed a little under the radar.
By the end of last season, he had the third best save percentage in the league, not bad for someone who had been effectively written off as a failed investment just months earlier. This season, no one has made more saves in Ligue 1 than Nübel’s 57.
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Like Neuer, Nübel is an adept, calm and competent player with the ball at his feet. True of all ball-playing goalkeepers, errors are always likely to be made, as was the case in a heavy Europa League defeat at Trabzonspor, but what he brings with his passing game is overwhelmingly positive, allowing Philippe Clement’s side to build from the back.
Shaking off those Neuer comparisons has been no easy task for Nübel, whose long-term future may ultimately lie away from Bayern Munich. How he plays in 2023 will significantly influence where he next plays. A continuation of his 2022 form may just allow him to extend his séjour in the Principality of Monaco.
Luke Entwistle | GFFN
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