The next few weeks will be emotional for Leon Goretzka as he brings down the curtain on eight illustrious years at Bayern Munich. The German midfielder will leave Bayern as he arrived in 2018, on a free transfer.
Goretzka is hoping to lift another treble with Die Roten before joining another club in the summer. Meanwhile, Bayern are also exploring potential options to replace Goretzka and strengthen the midfield.
Tom Bischof is expected to get more game time next season in the center of the park. The young German midfielder has played in full-back and different midfield positions since arriving from Hoffenheim last summer on a free transfer. He has done well in his debut season, so it is fair to see him get a prominent role in Bayern’s midfield plans for next season.
The Bavarian club has also exercised the buyback option to sign Noel Aseko Nkili from Hannover after his impressive loan spell. Nkili will be part of the squad during the pre-season tour. If he impresses Vincent Kompany, Nkili has a good chance to play regularly for Die Roten next season. A final decision on his future will come after the pre-season.
Bayern keep tabs on midfield options in the summer
In parallel, Bayern are also keeping tabs on young midfielders in the transfer market. According to French journalist Abdellah Boulma, Bayern are one of the clubs keen on signing Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille. The Bavarian club will face competition from Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, and Manchester United for the French midfielder.
Bouaddi has been one of the best young midfielders in Ligue 1. Lille have moved quickly to secure his future late in 2025. His current deal expires in 2029. Bayern or any other interested club will have to pay a big fee to convince Lille to part ways with the 18-year-old midfielder in the summer.
Bayern have been previously linked with Bouaddi so the interest does look genuine. However, the Bundesliga champions are unlikely to spend the type of fee Lille will want for Bouaddi as Bayern chiefs do not want to pay exorbitant fees for players in the summer.
Die Roten have also been linked with Hertha's wonder boy Kennet Eichhorn. The 16-year-old midfielder has been delivering impressive performances for Hertha's senior team in the second division of Germany. Eichhorn is also attracting interest from several European clubs.
It will be intriguing to see how Bayern goes about strengthening the midfield as they are losing a lot of experience in Goretzka.
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