After eight years, Leon Goretzka closed the chapter on his time with FC Bayern at the end of June. It’s now official: The midfielder is joining Aston Villa on a free transfer.
The past winter transfer window was by no means the first time transfer rumors had swirled around Leon Goretzka. There was talk of an immediate departure, but sporting director Christoph Freund quickly set the record straight: “Leon Goretzka’s time here will be over in the summer.”
After the World Cup, however, nothing happened for a long time. Goretzka kept his cards close to his chest as he searched for a new club. By the end of August, though, it was finally clear where the Bochum native was headed. After eight years with FC Bayern, Goretzka is transferring on a free transfer to Aston Villa, where he will wear the number 27 in the future.
In an interview with *Die Zeit* in January, the 73-time German international—who played a smaller role at the World Cup than initially expected—spoke with unusual candor: “I find it exciting to move abroad at this stage of my career. There are a lot of people who think that my style of soccer would be a great fit for England.”
Initially, there were reportedly offers primarily from Italy (Milan was said to be very interested) or Spain, but now he’s actually choosing the rainy English weather over the southern European sun. No contract duration has been announced yet.
Always fought through
Last winter, the Munich bosses deliberately let the last opportunity slip by to generate revenue once again from the player’s transfer. The contract of the not-always-uncontroversial midfield dynamo, who had joined from FC Schalke in 2018 as a Confederations Cup winner, was set to expire on June 30. This only made him more attractive to the many suitors.
Goretzka was frequently viewed as a potential transfer target in Munich, but he always fought his way through and racked up a total of 312 competitive matches for the record champions. His resume includes seven German championships, three DFB Cup triumphs, and a Champions League victory in 2020. A major factor in why Bayern would have liked to let him go sooner was Goretzka’s salary. After all, the box-to-box midfielder was among the top earners on the FCB roster.
A key asset in the Champions League?
Goretzka had already publicly described the move abroad as a way to “step out of my comfort zone,” noting that it was also “crucial for my personal development.” In the winter, Atlético Madrid tried to lure the physically strong driving force from Munich, but Bayern’s management vetoed the move. Now he’s heading to Birmingham to join the reigning Europa League champions, who had also been looking more closely at Joao Palhinha for their midfield before turning to Goretzka.
Under coach Unai Emery, Goretzka is expected to contribute his experience—possibly even in the Champions League, for which last year’s fourth-place finisher qualified not only through its Europa League triumph. In the Champions League, Goretzka has already played 73 games (six goals).
Goretzka still looks back on one special Champions League night. In early October 2024, Bayern suffered a surprising 0-1 loss in Birmingham. “I remember there was a very special atmosphere and incredible energy in the stadium,” Goretzka admits on VillaTV: “For us, it wasn’t exactly the best experience we’ve ever had. For you, it was probably one of the best. I’m really looking forward to experiencing nights like that again.”
