Ter Stegen to remain Germany's number one, says Nagelsmann
Leipzig
Marc-Andre ter Stegen will remain German national team first choice goalkeeper heading towards next year's World Cup, as long as he becomes starting club keeper again after a return from back surgery, coach Julian Nagelsmann has said.
'In the end he is our number one if he is healthy and number one in the club,' Nagelsmann said on Wednesday at an international coaches congress.
Nagelsmann also announced that captain Joshua Kimmich would return into midfield, where he also plays at Bayern Munich, after previously being used as a right back in the national team.
'As it stands now he will return to the number six because he simply is among the two three players who will always play there at his club,' Nagelsmann said.
Ter Stegen was named first choice by Nagelsmann after Manuel Neuer's international retirement last year.
Nagelsmann said that 'as it stands now' there are no plans to ask Neuer to return, after ter Stegen underwent back surgery this week and is expected to be sidelined for three months.
In addition, he has been relegated to third choice at his club Barcelona, with newly signed Joan Garcia and veteran Wojciech Szcz?sny ahead of him.
Spanish champions Barca reportedly want to sell ter Stegen, but a summer transfer could be difficult, given the operation.
Nagelsmann said he was in 'a super exchange' with ter Stegen and expects him to become fully fit again and the number one.
But he added that there are 'many good ideas, many good solutions if it is not the case.' Nagelsmann did not go into details but Oliver Baumann and Alexander Nübel deputised between the Germany posts when ter Stegen was sidelined with a severe knee injury for many months last season.
Germany start World Cup qualifying in September against Slovakia and Northern Ireland, which will also mark the first games with Kimmich back as a holding midfielder.
Nagelsmann said he will not 'gamble' because of the short time until the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
'We must see that we have players who have a rhythm in that position,' Nagelsmann said.
The coach had previously fielded Kimmich as right back because of a lack of options, but he named the two holding midfielders 'the heart of any team' who should play together as soon as possible.
Nagelsmann said he would only consider changing his mind again if the right back candidates are 'complete failures.' The move will bolster Germany's defence and to play good football via defensive stability. He doesn't mind this tweaked game plan because 'in our big years we also didn't have 10 skilful players on the pitch.'
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