Man Utd and West Ham interested - Why Bayern Munich are now willing to sell Leon Goretzka

Bayern Munich are reportedly considering a drastic shake up of their midfield ahead of the new season. According to multiple reports in Germany but first reported by BILD, Bayern head coach Thomas Tuchel would prefer to rely on other midfielders next season and has suggested that the club put the Germany international up for sale. The 28-year-old central midfielder has three years left on his current deal and has a market value of €45 million. 

Goretzka has been a Bayern starter since he made the move to the club in 2018 after agreeing a free transfer from Schalke. Since then, the towering midfielder has established himself as one of the best box-to-box talents in European football. However, it now seems as though his stock has fallen dramatically in Munich and may be on the hunt for a new club this summer. So why are Bayern suddenly prepared to move on from the midfielder?  

Why are Bayern Munich now willing to sell Leon Goretzka?

Perhaps the most obvious metric to chart Goretzka’s fortunes at Bayern is the player’s market value and how it has fallen rather dramatically in recent seasons. After reaching a career high of €70m in December 2021, the player’s value dropped to €65m in June 2022 and then even further last month to where it now stands at €45m.

Transfermarkt Bundesliga market value editor, Tobias Kröger: "Bayern are considering the sale of Goretzka because of his inconsistent performances in the last one and a half seasons. Even in the national team he can't contribute as much as everyone should expect from a player of his status. After being a very good box-to-box player for the last few years, he’s since lost a bit of his scoring abilities and is more and more a defensive liability next to his midfield partner Joshua Kimmich. So Bayern are looking for a new Kimmich partner who is more responsible in defence. Additionally, Goretzka is on very high wages, so a place on the bench wouldn’t be an option for both sides regarding his status."

Who wants to sign Leon Goretzka?

Fortunately for the player, it seems as though there is no shortage of potential bidders if Goretzka is indeed up for sale. According to Sky Germany, West Ham are targeting an ambitious move for the Germany international in a bid to directly replace departed midfielder Delcan Rice, who recently joined Arsenal for a British transfer record. 

However, the Hammers aren’t the only English club looking to sign Goretzka. According to the Sun, Manchester United still harbour long-held hopes of signing the midfielder after being linked with Goretzka for a number of years. The publication claim that the potential sale of Scott McTominay could allow the Old Trafford club to make space for Goretzka ahead of the upcoming season.