MUNICH (AP) — Manuel Neuer has extended his contract at Bayern Munich for another year, keeping the 40-year-old goalkeeping great at the German champion as he mentors his long-term successor.

Neuer will head into another season at Bayern, 15 years since joining the club, and remains the captain and first-choice goalkeeper after impressive performances in the Champions League despite fitness issues this season.

Neuer has played 597 times for Bayern and is set to become the fifth player in club history to hit the 600 mark.

Backup Jonas Urbig is considered Neuer’s long-term successor and has increasingly been given games this season. Neuer’s role includes mentoring Urbig.

The announcement came on Friday ahead of Bayern’s last Bundesliga game of the season on Saturday at home to Cologne.

Neuer’s long-time understudy Sven Ulreich has also signed on for another year.

“Manuel and Sven will continue to support Jonas on his path to becoming the future of FC Bayern,” Bayern board member for sport Max Eberl said in a statement.

Neuer won his 13th German league title with Bayern a month ago and could make it a domestic double for the first time since 2020 if Bayern beats Stuttgart in the German Cup final on May 23.

Neuer has been focused on Bayern since retiring from the German national team after Euro 2024. Oliver Baumann of Hoffenheim is likely to be Germany’s starter at the World Cup next month.

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