The last two weeks of the transfer window in Bavaria will be dominated by the future of Leon Goretzka at Bayern Munich. The Bavarian club wants to part ways with Goretzka as soon as possible, while the German midfielder wants to fight for a place in the team.
As things stand, Goretzka will struggle to get into the matchday squads at Bayern unless there is an injury crisis. The German international was left out of the squad for technical reasons on Friday when Bayern faced SSV Ulm in the DFB Pokal.
Bayern chiefs and Vincent Kompany have already told Goretzka that he is not guaranteed to get adequate playing time in Munich. The 29-year-old midfielder has not actively looked for a transfer away from Bavaria throughout the summer. Considering his significant salary, there has been no concrete offer for Die Roten to consider.
Goretzka was severely disappointed when Julian Nagelsmann didn’t include him in the German squad for Euro 2024 during the summer. He is eager to get back into Nagelsmann’s plans for the next big assignment- World Cup 2026. While talking to Sport1 Dopa (via SportBild), DFB sporting director Rudi Völler urged Goretzka to leave Bayern for regular game time, which will eventually help him to return to the German squad.
"Goretzka logically still has the quality to be part of the 2026 World Cup. It probably makes sense for him to move if he still has these aspirations. It makes sense to play somewhere else again. But in the end he has to decide for himself."Rudi Völler, DFB Sporting Director
Will Bayern consider loan departure for Goretzka?
Considering Bayern’s eagerness to sell Goretzka, clubs may look to take advantage of this situation and propose loan moves. Die Roten can make a profit on Goretzka even if they get a minimal fee since they signed him on a free transfer from Schalke.
The record Bundesliga champions may also consider a loan departure for Goretzka during the final days of the transfer window since they may get rid of his wages for at least a year. The German international currently earns €17 million/year at Bayern, making him one of the big earners in the squad.
Bayern have put the onus on Goretzka to look for a move by keeping him away from the matchday squads. He is unlikely to feature in the Bundesliga opener against Wolfsburg next Sunday. With clubs across Europe rushing to do deals, there is a good bargain to pick up at Die Roten if they can get Leon Goretzka on a season-long loan. Napoli and Atletico Madrid have been loosely linked with the former Schalke midfielder, but a move to England will benefit Goretzka due to the physical nature of the league.