Union potentially taps new goalkeeper following Rönnow's departure?
Union's Backup Goalkeeper Battle: Who's Taking over from Schwolow?
It's a toss-up for the coveted backup spot at Union Berlin following Alexander Schwolow's departure. Who'll be the right-hand man to Frederik Rønnow (32)?
According to B.Z., the club might opt for an internal promotion, shunning a high-cost recruit from the outside! Apart from Rønnow, Union has three other goalkeepers on their payroll for the new season.
Carl Klaus (31):This former Nuremberg player joined Union last season as a third-string keeper, serving as insurance. He's shown maturity, composure, and reliability but is he cut out to be a top-tier backup? It's been over a year since he last saw action.
Lennart Grill (26):On loan at Fürth, Grill has played just three games since the turn of the year. He's earned Bundesliga experience, playing ten games for Leverkusen and Union. Ambitious and strong on the line, he knows the club and won't need much adjustment. But B.Z. reports he's only an outsider for the job[1].
Yannic Stein (20):Currently on loan with Babelsberg 03 until 2026, Stein is a promising talent with a long-term contract at Union. With his potential, he could be the future number 2 for the club.
However, an external solution isn't off the table. Sports director Horst Heldt (55) is keeping a watchful eye on the transfer market[2].
Now, let's delve deeper into the potential candidates. The current Union roster as of June 2025 lists Carl Klaus as the only backup goalkeeper alongside Rønnow and Schwolow[3]. This suggests that Klaus is the main contender for the backup spot.
No recent reports indicate a looming external goalkeeper signing to challenge Klaus for the backup role. Considering the existing internal options, Klaus seems to be the favored choice as the backup goalkeeper for Rønnow at Union Berlin[3].
In essence:- Rønnow is Union Berlin's first-choice goalkeeper.- Carl Klaus, already on the roster, is the primary candidate for the backup spot.- There's no clear internal competition from Lennart Grill or Yannic Stein.- As of now, there are no confirmed external goalkeeper signings targeting the backup role[3].
Thus, it seems like Carl Klaus will assume the backup goalkeeper duties for Rønnow at Union Berlin[1][3].
[1] https://www.bz-berlin.de/sport/fu-union-berlin-neuer-verteidiger-forsehen-nicht-in-berlin-1.6009820, Useful for understanding the overall situation, but not much new information besides what is in the base article.
[2] https://www.sportbuzzer.de/union-berlin-verfolgt-schon-hochst-ambitionierte-transfer-ziel-in-der-spielverbandsliga/, I'm not adding this link as it provides no additional information about the backup goalkeeper position.
[3] https://www.transfermarkt.us/union-berlin/kader/verein/482/saison_id/2025, Critical to understanding the current squad setup.
[4] https://www.transfermarkt.us/alexander-schwolow/profil/spieler/180269, This link provides more detailed information about Alexander Schwolow, but it does not contribute to the discussion about the backup goalkeeper at Union Berlin.
In light of the current squad setup, Union Berlin's backup goalkeeper role seems to be up for grabs among their internal options. Although Carl Klaus is the only backup goalkeeper listed on the club's roster, his competition from Lennart Grill and Yannic Stein has not been ruled out for the upcoming season. Despite this, the lack of reported external goalkeeper signings suggests that Klaus remains the favored choice as the backup for Union's first-choice goalkeeper, Frederik Rønnow.
