The last few weeks of the winter transfer window at Bayern Munich were dominated by the future of Leon Goretzka. Atletico Madrid had made an offer for the German midfielder, but he decided to stay in Munich. The defending Bundesliga champions confirmed that Goretzka will leave the club at the end of the season on a free transfer.
Atletico Madrid were not the only club that attempted to sign Goretzka in the final week of the transfer window. According to Bild’s Christian Falk and Heiko Niedderer (via iMiaSanMia), Arsenal had made a bid for Goretzka on deadline day. The German midfielder declined the offer, but the North London side can be an option for him in the summer.
Arsenal were looking for a midfielder on deadline day since Mikel Merino had been ruled out for several weeks due to a serious injury. Goretzka would have been a good replacement for Merino, but he was content to stay in Munich for the rest of the season.
Goretzka is motivated to end his final season in the Bavarian colours with silverware. Bayern remain in contention to win the treble. They are well placed to regain the Bundesliga title while staying alive in the Champions League and DFB Pokal.
Goretzka will be spoilt for options in the summer
The 30-year-old midfielder will have several options in the summer since he will be available on a free transfer. Atletico Madrid are expected to return with an offer, while there will be interest from Italy and England. It is looking highly likely that Goretzka will leave Germany in the summer.
Considering his physical style of play in the midfield, Goretzka will excel in the Premier League and Serie A. Apart from Arsenal, Manchester United and West Ham United had also shown interest in Goretzka over the past few years.
Goretzka wanted to stay in Munich, but the record German champions have decided to move in another direction. Bayern will look to sign a young midfielder in the summer to replace Goretzka. They also expect Aleksandar Pavlovic and Tom Bischof to play a crucial role in the midfield for several years. Joshua Kimmich will provide the calmness and experience in the centre of the park.
The Bavarian faithful have adored Goretzka for his contributions over the last eight years. He hopes to end a successful tenure at the club with a final set of silverware. Goretzka’s game time has reduced this season, but he still has a key role to play in the latter stages of all competitions.