kicker reports that Bayer Leverkusen are not so sure about 1.FC Köln’s Jonas Urbig as club captain Lukas Hradecky’s immediate replacement.
Urbig has recently been demoted to number two in the Domstadt as head coach Gerhard Struber has reinstated Mavin Schwäbe as number one. This has accelerated talk about the under-21 goalkeeper leaving the club soon.
Leverkusen are one of the clubs interested but they do not see Urbig as having the ability to play as number one at the moment. The 21-year-old is also not interested in moving to a side to be the number two and only wants to be number one. Unless a compromise can be reached, such as Urbig going on loan for a season or two, then a move to Leverkusen is likely out of the question.
Manchester City’s Stefan Ortega has also been linked as a replacement for Hradecky.
The reason why Leverkusen are looking at potential replacements for Hradecky is that the current number two Matej Kovar has yet to prove himself as a worthy replacement. The 24-year-old has until the end of the season to prove himself as Leverkusen’s number one but has looked shaky in his recent appearances in the cup competitions.
If the Czech does not prove himself, Leverkusen and Kovar will likely part ways in the summer as the keeper wants to play more.
GGFN | Jack Meenan
