Rated as one of the biggest German goalkeeping talents from a very young age, Jonas Urbig has struggled for game time this season in the 2. Bundesliga with FC Köln.
Benched for months now due to his competitor Mavin Schwäbe providing more experience and exuding more calm on the field in a difficult period for Die Effzeh, Urbig’s sheer potential nonetheless makes an ascension to the Bundesliga seem inevitable. But few would have expected that promise to be fulfilled as soon as next summer, especially if the destination were Bayern Munich. But it might just happen, via @iMiaSanMia:
Jonas Urbig (21) is the hottest candidate to be signed by Bayern in the summer and develop as #2 behind Manuel Neuer next season. Max Eberl sees in Urbig his ‘own Bayern ter Stegen’ (background: Eberl insisted back in April 2011 to trust an 18-year-old ter Stegen to start for Gladbach in the middle of a relegation battle, which kick-started the goalkeeper’s career). Eberl sees a similar potential in Urbig. Pricetag: around €5m.
If the Bavarians do truly want to sign Urbig, one has to wonder why they would wait for the summer. Given Urbig’s current position of being barely ousted by his competition at the leaders of the 2. Bundesliga, surely it would be in Bayern’s best interest to sign him in January and loan him out to a different team in that division in need of a goalkeeper. And Köln might prefer to offload the Germany youth international before his contract, which expires in June 2026, puts the club under serious pressure. Would it not be better to sign him now than see him rot on the bench for another six months?
