Bayern Munich: Leon Goretzka is eager to work with Niko Kovac
New Bayern Munich signing Leon Goretzka is eager to work under Niko Kovac — also new at the club this summer — next season.
Leon Goretzka is one of Germany’s most promising up-and-coming stars. The former Schalke midfielder announced this past winter his plans to join Bayern Munich over the summer. The 23-year-old is eager to work under Niko Kovac and prove his worth to the club.
Kovac, like Goretzka, is another newcomer to Bayern Munich. The former Bayern midfielder gained traction as a manager at Eintracht Frankfurt. His most notable achievement — which actually took place after his future move to Bayern was announced — is beating the Bavarians 3-1 in the ’17-18 DFB Pokal final.
At 46-years-old, Kovac is seen by many as a risk for the club. However, he could be just the man Bayern needs to help usher in a new era at the club.
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Leon Goretzka certainly hopes that the case. Bayern’s new number 18 recently spoke with Sport Bild about his hopes in joining the club.
"“I know that the quality in Munich is huge, but I didn’t change clubs to sit on the bench.“After the announcement [of Kovac joining Bayern], [Schalke] played twice against Frankfurt. The two of us had a bit of a chat.“[Kovac] is a young coach who is interested in developing players. That’s very important to me personally.”"
He later went on to explain that Bayern assured him their next coach would be someone who emphasizes youth development. That went a long way in helping him make the decision to join the Bavarians.
Leon Goretzka was one of the stars for Germany’s “experimental squad” last summer in their Confederations Cup conquest. He finished joint top scorer with three goals. He, unfortunately, couldn’t repeat his impressive displays this summer at the World Cup.
Joachim Low only called Bayern’s new boy up for one match, then proceeded to play him out of position in Germany’s 2-0 loss against South Korea that ulimately sent them out of the competition.
Goretzka is a versatile midfielder, capable of playing in several positions throughout the center of the park. and even as a wide midfielder. His dynamism and willingness to run non-stop could be key for Niko Kovac.
Next: The implications of Leon Goretzka's arrival on Bayern Munich players
Whether or not Goretzka will be able to carry his good performances for Schalke over to Bayern Munich remains to be seen. If he is, though, Niko Kovac might just be the right man to help him transform from a promising talent to a player of real quality.