Noah Atubolu has meanwhile become a lucky charm against him: can only a sensational transfer save the current biggest loser in the goalkeeping carousel?

The transfer saga surrounding Noah Atubolu is attracting a great deal of attention this summer. That has almost caused people to forget that, in this country at present, the German goalkeeper is not the biggest loser in his position.

Rejected a contract extension, wanted to leave, saw his successor arrive for big money, then hit a stalemate, with hardly any offers before sacking his agent: this transfer summer is likely to stay with Noah Atubolu for a very long time. At SC Freiburg, a chain of negligent decisions left the designated Germany goalkeeper staring into the stands.

Now, though, things have shifted a little: Eintracht Frankfurt want Atubolu as their new number one and, more importantly, Atubolu now wants to join SGE too, seeing Eintracht as the "most stable alternative" to his plan, which went completely wrong, of fulfilling his dream of the Premier League. Now the two clubs somehow have to reach an agreement. Even so, a small happy ending is beckoning for Atubolu after months of growing uncertainty. A positional colleague can probably only dream of that at present.

Florian Kastenmeier wept bitterly. 17 May 2026 became not only a genuine nightmare for Fortuna Düsseldorf and one of the darkest days in the club's recent history, but also for the Rhineland club's captain. After the disastrous 3-0 defeat at Greuther Fürth, the shocking relegation of the side that had proclaimed themselves promotion candidates before the season was confirmed. And afterwards all the frustration, pain and anger over the most pitiful of many pitiful performances by a bloodless and dysfunctional team over 34 matchdays poured out of Kastenmeier.

Kastenmeier is the only player accepted by the fans after relegation

Kastenmeier was the only player that day who could go anywhere near Düsseldorf's furious support without risking life and limb. While the rest of the Düsseldorf "team" were driven away in disgrace to chants such as "We are Fortuna and you are not", a devastated Kastenmeier went over to the away end. He grieved with them and used a megaphone to address words of apology to the supporters. They answered with encouraging applause and embraced their captain, who once again had done nothing wrong.

That scene summed up the standing Kastenmeier had built over seven years at the club and among the fans. At the start of 2020, he stepped in as number one for the injured Zach Steffen, who had been loaned from Manchester City, for the entire second half of the Bundesliga season and never gave up that status again. From then on, Kastenmeier was one of the few constants in a Düsseldorf side constantly in transition because of strained finances.

Key players came and went, but Kastenmeier stayed and developed into one of the best keepers in the 2. Bundesliga. He was strong on his line and one-on-one, almost brilliant on the ball for a goalkeeper and gifted in build-up play, but also repeatedly prone to the odd major error, which was always quickly forgiven.

Almost two years ago, the dream of returning to the Bundesliga as first-choice goalkeeper almost came true, but Düsseldorf's fragile nerve structure collapsed in historic fashion in front of their own crowd against VfL Bochum after taking a 3-0 lead from the first leg of the play-off. Two years and another historic collapse later, Kastenmeier wanted out.

Florian Kastenmeier makes "the hardest decision" of his life

Too much had happened during his time at Fortuna. The ups and downs, the DFB Cup semi-final in 2024, the near-promotion and the dramatic super-GAU in Fürth. Despite all the efforts of the new sporting director Samir Arabi, who as his first official act had flown straight to Mallorca to see coach Alexander Ende and captain Kastenmeier, Kastenmeier decided not to sign a new contract with a shattered Fortuna.

Why should he, at the best footballing age and as one of the best second-division keepers with ambitions of also being a Bundesliga first-choice goalkeeper, take the bitter step down into the third tier? Kastenmeier did not make the decision lightly and wrestled with it for weeks. That was the only part of it interpreted negatively in some quarters, after all the club really needed immediate clarity with a total overhaul looming, with only seven players on valid third-division contracts.

It was "the hardest decision I have ever had to make", the goalkeeper said in an emotional statement, credibly conveying his deep bond with the club, but also stressing that he now had to "embark on a new path": "I have set myself goals for my career that I want to achieve. Preferably with Fortuna. But those goals have recently moved a long way off, and I am at an age where I have to take the next step in order to continue on my personal path."

In the end, nobody in Düsseldorf could really hold it against him.

Kastenmeier turns down numerous clubs: has he overplayed his hand?

For Kastenmeier, though, the bitter end at Fortuna was an understandable but possibly fateful decision. By now, there has been quiet whispering in the industry that Kastenmeier may have overplayed his hand in the end because he was too choosy.

He has had some respectable enquiries, but still has not found a new club, and for weeks it has gone quiet around potential suitors.

He turned down his former coach Daniel Thioune, who had once made him captain at Fortuna, because at Werder Bremen he would only have been the preferred solution as the new number two behind Karl Hein and his challenger. He is also said to have turned down Hertha BSC, according to kicker, even though the Old Lady wanted to bring him in as their new first-choice keeper after selling Tjark Ernst to Feyenoord Rotterdam. Hertha are still said to have an offer on the table for him, the Rheinische Post reports. He has not accepted it to date. Hannover 96 are also said to have expressed interest, but Kastenmeier, as kicker put it, prefers a move abroad.

Kastenmeier's chance of a happy ending: could he even play Champions League?

Abroad, according to the Berliner Kurier, a highly attractive option could indeed open up. Como 1907 were allegedly already interested in Kastenmeier in summer 2025, and now that he is available on a free transfer, that interest could flare up again, the paper speculated at the end of July at least. Since then, however, nothing further has become known in the case.

For Kastenmeier, currently perhaps one of the biggest losers in the goalkeeper carousel that is turning only slowly, this would probably be a dream come true, though he would have to make sporting compromises. Jean Butez is established under Cesc Fabregas and even led the team on to the pitch as captain against Udinese at the start of the Serie A season. Kastenmeier would therefore be planned more as a number two. That role is currently held by Emil Audero, who is, however, being linked with a move to Juventus as a backup.

Still, the price of that challenger role would not be insignificant. Should Como's interest really solidify and Kastenmeier sign there, he would join one of Italy's most up-and-coming clubs, who sensationally qualified for the Champions League just two years after promotion to Serie A. Financially too, the 29-year-old would probably be taking more than just one step forward.

That would turn the horror scenario currently looming, an entire season without a club, into a little fairytale after all. The critics who accused him of being too choosy would have to fall silent immediately and concede that with his hesitation he had made exactly the right decision.

Right now, though, the image of a loser still somehow clings to Kastenmeier. But the example of Atubolu shows how quickly the sluggish goalkeeper carousel in Germany and Europe can still start turning after all.

Florian Kastenmeier: performance data and statistics