Freund confirms Leon Goretzka will leave Bayern in the summer amid Atletico Madrid speculation | OneFootball

Leon Goretzka has been heavily linked with a move away from Bayern Munich in recent days, with Atletico Madrid reportedly showing interest.

However, Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund has now confirmed that the 30-year-old central midfielder will not be leaving during the winter transfer window.

“We have had several discussions with Leon, together with all parties involved. He feels extremely comfortable at this club and with the team, and he has therefore decided to stay,” Freund said at a press conference.

“Leon has performed at a very high level in recent years, is a German international, so it’s no surprise that there have been concrete inquiries from other clubs. He has dealt with this, but he feels very comfortable here. He senses the energy, the atmosphere, and the strong direction the club is heading in, and he wants to remain part of it as an important figure for our team.”

However, Goretzka will only remain at Bayern until the summer, at which point his contract expires.

“We have had open conversations, including with Leon personally. Everyone knows that his contract expires in the summer. In these talks, we discussed his future openly. I can now say that Leon Goretzka’s time at FC Bayern will come to an end in the summer,” Freund said.

“Leon has been with us for eight years and has been extremely successful and strong, both as a player and as a person. But it’s not over yet. He will stay with us for the next few months with the aim of achieving great things. We look forward to the next months with him.”

Goretzka joined Bayern from Schalke in the summer of 2018. Since then, he has featured 292 times for the Bavarians, racking up 47 goals and 48 assists.