Hamburg’s ‘elite level’ keeper Daniel Heuer Fernandes in line for lucrative contract extension | OneFootball

Hamburg goalkeeper Daniel Heuer Fernandes is one of the primary reasons his newly promoted Bundesliga outfit remain above the relegation fray through 11 matchdays. The 33-year-old – after a career spent representing lower league German footballing clubs – continues to prove rock solid for Hamburger SV. 

After playing a significant role in helping HSV get promoted last season, Heuer Fernandes successfully fended off a challenge from high profile arrival Daniel Peretz in training camp. In 11 league starts, the Bochum-native is the league’s second most effective shot-stopper behind St. Pauli’s Nikola Vasilj.

Kicker ranks Heuer Fernandes as the league’s top goal-keeping based on cumulative matchday grades through 11 rounds. Even though the veteran has only kept three clean sheets, there were many instances in which Heuer Fernandes was by far the best HSV player on the pitch. 

Saturday’s narrow 0-1 away loss at Augsburg was one such instance. At the post-match press conference, HSV head coach Merlin Polzin remarked that “we needed him in order to remain in the game at all“. Heuer Fernandes – forward for a late corner – even came close to scoring an equalizer. 

While Heuer Fernandes can hope to attain some more concrete sporting success this season, the highly effective HSV back-stop likely doesn’t have to do much more to expect a reasonably lucrative contract extension come January. 

Speaking to Sky Germany after the full-time whistle on Saturday, Heuer Fernandes made clear that he hoped extension talks on his current deal – set to expire at the end of the current season – would proceed swiftly. 

“It’s my job to help the team,” the keeper told Sky on Saturday. “But I don’t want to wait until April.“

GGFN | Peter Weis