Leon Goretzka’s contract with FC Bayern expires at the end of the season. It is unclear exactly what will happen next. The 30-year-old admits that he is tempted by a move abroad, but also emphasizes that nothing has been decided. He expects “honest” communication from Bayern and hopes that it will not turn out like it did with Thomas Müller.
Leon Goretzka has been playing for FC Bayern for over seven years now. During this time, the midfielder has not always been uncontroversial and has often been considered a candidate for sale. But Goretzka stayed and fought his way through, making a total of 292 appearances for the record champions so far. This season, he has played 18 league games and scored one goal. However, his contract expires in the summer – and he is keeping all his options open, as he has now confirmed. “I am independent. I enjoy that,” Goretzka said in an interview with Die Zeit, revealing: “I find it exciting to go abroad during my career. There are a lot of people who think that my style of soccer would be a good fit for England.“ However, he has not yet made a decision, only that he will ”listen to everything and weigh it up carefully.”
Goretzka also hinted that he could imagine a change of scenery for reasons that are not necessarily related to sport. “A step out of my comfort zone would also be a step towards my personal development,” said the national player, who is not considering a transfer for the first time in his life. In the past, however, he “consciously decided against it,” but the appeal of the new remains, especially since “getting to know something new would also enrich my life.”
But the fact is: The FC Bayern bosses are hesitant to keep the midfielder beyond the summer, and Joshua Kimmich and Aleksandar Pavlovic are ahead of him in the internal competition for his position. However, the final word on the matter has not yet been spoken.
Will there be a sudden change?
If Goretzka decides to leave, it could happen sooner rather than later, as a sale in the winter would at least allow Munich to pocket a transfer fee. According to Sky, Atletico Madrid are interested in the midfielder as they look for a replacement for Conor Gallagher, who recently moved to Tottenham Hotspur. The transfer window is open until next Monday, February 2.
It remains to be seen whether there will be a quick change for the top earner this winter. Coach Vincent Kompany remained tight-lipped as usual, referring rather generally to “discussions about each individual situation,” but adding: “These decisions are not made by head coaches alone.”
Goretzka’s demands
For Goretzka, however, it is clear that he only wants to play for a club that “has ambitions, has a plan and where my qualities are in demand. Above all, I want to inspire my teammates and take a team to another level. Football is about winning, and I’ve had that goal injected into me intravenously every day for the last eight years.”
Goretzka also rejected rumors that he had approached FC Barcelona himself. “I read that I was supposed to have contacted Hansi Flick in Barcelona. I can deny that here and now. No, there’s no need for that. I don’t mean to sound arrogant.”
Regarding the upcoming talks with the Munich decision-makers, he also said that he hoped they would be “honest” and “confidential,” adding: “I would be disappointed if it turned out the same way for me as it did for Thomas Müller.” A year ago, sporting director Max Eberl had signaled to Müller that a contract extension was definitely a possibility and that he could even decide for himself.
But then things turned out differently. At the end of March, it was announced that Müller would not be offered a new contract, whereupon he packed his bags in the summer and moved to Canada to join the Vancouver Whitecaps. However, it is unclear whether Goretzka is referring to this situation. What exactly the 30-year-old means with his statement about Müller, or whether he is addressing anyone in particular, therefore remains unclear.
