2026 World Cup midfielder offers himself to Barcelona | OneFootball

As thing stand, Barcelona will start the 2026-27 one midfielder down, with Frenkie de Jong set for a long spell on the sidelines after he suffered a serious knee injury while in action for the Netherlands at the 2026 World Cup. Hansi Flick now only has Marc Casado and Marc Bernal as players that will be at 100% for the beginning of the campaign, given that Pedri and Gavi will be returning late due to being part of Spain’s tournament-winning squad.

On the back of this news regarding de Jong, there have been rumblings about Barcelona possibly seeking the signing of a new midfielder, especially as Casado could be sold this summer amid interest from Saudi Pro League clubs. They’ve been linked with Valencia’s Javi Guerra, although a more experienced campaigner may be a better option.

That’s where Leon Goretzka could come into the equation. The 31-year-old, who was part of Germany’s squad for the recent World Cup, is currently a free agent after leaving Bayern Munich, and according to Matteo Moretto (via Sport), he has offered his services to Barcelona.

Barcelona not considering Goretzka approach – yet

Flick knows Goretzka well after working with him during their time together at Bayern, and given the lack of experience in the Barcelona first team squad, he could end up being a signing that makes a lot of sense. However, it has been noted in recent weeks that the Catalan club are not presently interested in signing the veteran midfielder, although that could change as the summer goes on.

It will be very interesting to see whether Barcelona do end up going for a new midfielder this summer. One will definitely be needed if Casado departs, although it will be important to secure the correct profile – a proper defensive pivot would be the best choice, and unfortunately for Goretzka, he is not that.