Leon Goretzka eager to extend contract at Bayern Munich
Contract negotiations are set to dominate the summer for Bayern Munich. Earlier this week, reports emerged in Germany that Manchester United had shown interest in German midfielder Leon Goretzka. The German midfielder is negotiating a new deal with Die Roten since there is only one year left on his current contract.
The further update from Sport1’s Florian Plettenberg confirms that Goretzka is determined to extend his stay in Bavaria. The German midfielder has told Manchester United about his intentions to extend the contract with Rekordmeister. However, Goretzka wants a fix salary above €10 million to stay at the German club.
Goretzka’s contract talks are reportedly turning out to be complex due to the introduction of a new agent by the player during negotiations. The German Champions see Goretzka as a vital member of the squad, so contract renewal is likely to be the priority. With Germany out of Euro 2020, talks should be expected to accelerate in the next few weeks.
The 26-year-old midfielder arrived from Bavaria in 2018 from Schalke on a free transfer. He enjoyed a productive first campaign by scoring nine goals in 42 appearances. Since he already had experience in the Bundesliga, his adaptation process was reasonably smooth.
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The German international has gradually improved and become a much more well-rounded midfielder at Die Roten. Leon Goretzka has managed to add more dimensions to his game for becoming a versatile midfielder that can deliver world-class performances in every midfield position.
Die Roten has been hesitant about meeting the high wage demands of players in the past. David Alaba left the club in the summer since the German Champions were not ready to meet his desired salary package. The Austrian defender eventually joined Real Madrid on a free transfer after spending more than ten years at Die Roten.
In Goretzka’s case, the situation is slightly different than Alaba. The German midfielder is entering the peak years of his career, while Alaba is already 29. Losing a young player like Goretzka will be a double blow for Die Roten. Moreover, losing him for nothing will be a big financial hit for the German Champions.
Goretzka has consistently insisted that he is happy at the club, so that should assure the club that his priority is to stay at the club. However, they have to find a right compromise with his entourage that will meet his demands and also maintain the balance in the wage structure. Apart from Goretzka, Niklas Sule, Kingsley Coman, and Joshua Kimmich are other players that are entering decisive points in their current deals.