Leon Goretzka is still waiting for a new club. More than a month after his contract with FC Bayern expired, the 31-year-old has yet to find a new employer. Initially, the German national team player was among the most prominent free agents of the summer. Now, however, the situation is becoming increasingly awkward.
Goretzka’s eight-year stint with FC Bayern came to an end on June 30. The midfielder left Munich with numerous titles under his belt and hoped to continue his career at a top European club.
At first, there seemed to be plenty of interested clubs. Among others, FC Barcelona, Arsenal, Juventus Turin, AC Milan, SSC Napoli, and Atlético Madrid were linked to the player, who has 73 caps for the national team.
Goretzka himself described his situation as “privileged” as recently as May. The key factor for him, he said, was that he had to be “100 percent excited” about his next project. However, a suitable challenge has not yet presented itself.
Goretzka’s demands could become a problem
One reason for this could be his financial expectations. According to reports, Goretzka is demanding an annual salary of around seven million euros net. In addition, a signing bonus of approximately ten million euros is reportedly on the table.
Although no transfer fee is required, signing the former Bayern star would therefore be anything but cheap. On top of that, Goretzka is now 31 years old and was unable to improve his standing on the World Cup roster.
The midfielder made only three brief appearances. Sport BILD also reports that Goretzka was reportedly in a bad mood at times during the tournament and isolated himself from the team.
Goretzka wants to continue playing at the highest level
A concrete opportunity is said to have recently arisen in the MLS. According to reports, Chicago Fire expressed interest in Goretzka. There, he could have been reunited with his former Bayern teammate Robert Lewandowski.
Goretzka, however, turned down the opportunity. His goal remains to play at the highest level for a European club.
Given his experience and skills, the longtime Bayern pro remains an attractive prospect on the transfer market. However, time is slowly becoming a factor. The new season is set to begin shortly in many European leagues, while Goretzka is currently neither part of a team nor participating in regular preseason training.
If he wants to realize his desire to continue playing at the highest European level, his future may need to take a turn soon.