Bayern Munich Drops Nick Pope From Goalkeeper Plans

Bayern Munich has decided not to pursue Newcastle United goalkeeper Nick Pope after considering him as an experienced option for the future, according to reports from Christian Falk. The German club is instead prioritizing other candidates as it prepares for a possible transition after Manuel Neuer.

Pope, 34, joined Newcastle in 2022 and has made 131 appearances for the club, according to football365.com. He played 36 matches last season but has not appeared for Matthias Jaissle's side in the 2026/27 campaign after losing his place in the squad.

Christian Falk reported on CFBayernInsider that Bayern discussed several goalkeeper names during the international break but no longer views Pope as a leading option.

"It is NOT TRUE: Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope is on Bayern’s list. There was a meeting during the international break at Bayern Munich, and they discussed many names – including Pope’s. However, while the Englishman was on the list, he’s now no longer really considered an option.

As we’ve previously discussed on Bayern Insider, there is interest in Finn Dahmen, interest in Bernd Leno, and interest in Marvin Schwabe. And you can see that these goalkeepers are all German. The first idea would be to get a German goalkeeper in, as historically, it has worked for FC Bayern.

Of course, Jordan Pickford and Nick Pope are both goalkeepers who would make sense, but Bayern are currently prioritising German goalkeepers. Where you may have some problems is that, as in the case of Dahmen, he’s the No.1 goalkeeper at FC Augsburg. So you have to see if he would be prepared to be the No.2 at Bayern.

He’s not saying ‘no’ at the moment. Baumann, the former German No.1 during the World Cup qualifiers, wants to set the record for the most Bundesliga appearances, so he’s not an option at the moment. For Leno, it could be an option for him to return to Germany.

He’s a bit older than the other candidates, so it could be interesting. Whomever it is, Bayern needs a player who is willing to accept that Jonas Urbig is the No.1. It’s not so easy to find a player like that who is simultaneously a very good goalkeeper, which is why Bayern have a long list." said Christian Falk, journalist.

Bayern's search is focused on finding an experienced goalkeeper who can support Urbig, with reports also linking the club with Finn Dahmen, Bernd Leno and Marvin Schwabe. Goal reported that Bayern has not yet made contact with the goalkeepers being discussed.

Former Newcastle midfielder Jeff Hendrick said Pope's current role is unusual after the goalkeeper had been Newcastle's first choice for several seasons. Hendrick also discussed Pope's development from his time at Burnley.

"Well obviously I played with Nick. I was there a year when he came in at Burnley. He was number three that first year.

He wasn't happy, even though he had Tom Heaton and Paul Robinson ahead of him. But then eventually he got in and he became the number one ahead of Tom Heaton, Joe Hart, and Anders Lindegaard. He kept them all out.

He's used to playing. He got into the England setup, he got his move, and I think he showed everyone how good he was at shot stopping and coming to collect the ball. Obviously, his size helps with that.

I know there's always a thing where maybe his kicking could have been better, but we've seen that with other top keepers now. If he can save the team a few goals a season, it's a hard thing to do. So knowing him personally as well, he'll be happy, and I know he's a family man and it's a good club to be at, but he won't want to be sitting on the bench for all of this season.

I think his contract runs out at the end of this season, and he’ll be thirty-five then. I think he'll have that itch to be playing, especially in the last few years of his career." said Jeff Hendrick, former Newcastle midfielder.

Newcastle changed its goalkeeping options during the summer after Lukas Hornicek joined from Braga for £25.7million and established himself as the club's first-choice goalkeeper, according to Chronicle Live. Pope remained at the club after transfer links with other teams did not result in a move.

Manuel Neuer's expected retirement has increased Bayern's need for experienced cover, with Jonas Urbig set to become a key part of the club's future plans. Goal reported that several goalkeepers are under consideration for the role.

FC Augsburg coach Manuel Baumer addressed the situation surrounding Finn Dahmen, another goalkeeper linked with Bayern's plans.

"If someone is among the best in the Bundesliga, then he is certainly a topic for the best teams in the Bundesliga. In Augsburg, it is already part of the philosophy that players are sometimes allowed to leave if they perhaps perform above average," said Manuel Baumer, FC Augsburg coach.

Pope's Newcastle contract runs until the end of the season, and he was set to remain involved in the squad after Ewen Jaouen suffered a hamstring injury while on international duty, according to Chronicle Live.