If Goretzka leaves: will Bayern sign a new midfield star? | OneFootball

A farewell to Leon Goretzka in the summer is quite possible. Will FC Bayern then bring in a replacement for the central midfield?

According to a report by Sky, it is possible that FC Bayern will be active in the transfer market next summer if Leon Goretzka does not extend his contract.

“It is quite possible that Bayern will do something in the center if Leon Goretzka’s contract is not extended,” said reporter Florian Plettenberg. The 30-year-old’s contract expires after the coming season, so he could leave the club on a free transfer in 2026.

So far, it has also been considered quite possible that the record champions would not sign a replacement for Goretzka. After all, the squad is already well equipped in central midfield with Joshua Kimmich, Aleksandar Pavlovic, and Tom Bischof. Konrad Laimer could also play there – he was originally signed from Leipzig for this role. Nevertheless, the club management around Max Eberl and Christoph Freund does not seem to rule out a possible change in the center.

Bayern rumors about Pablo Barrios from Atlético Madrid

Recently, there has been speculation about possible successors for Goretzka. The Spanish portal Fichajes reported at the time that Bayern had their eye on Pablo Barrios from Atlético Madrid. The 22-year-old midfielder is under contract until 2030 and would only be available for a high transfer fee – the figure mentioned was around 70 million euros. Barrios is considered a highly intelligent, tactically mature player who has developed into a regular starter at Atlético.

Despite these rumors, there has so far been no concrete movement regarding a new signing. Internally, the club is placing great emphasis on the development of Pavlovic and Bischof. Both are expected to shape the center in the long term.

Photo: IMAGO/Maximilian Koch | Photo: IMAGO/Maximilian Koch,

In addition to the sporting perspective, finances also play a role: Goretzka is said to currently earn up to 17 million euros per year. An extension under these conditions is considered out of the question.

In the past, there have already been reports of interest from Borussia Dortmund and Fenerbahce Istanbul. BVB sporting director Lars Ricken only half-heartedly denied the speculation recently – his statement that the transfer was “utter nonsense” left room for interpretation.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.