Fabrizio Romano reports that Manchester United has finally reached an agreement with a Bundesliga midfielder who is better than Declan Rice in terms of the amount of money he earns per week to sign a four-year contract. Kobbie Mainoo will be paired with this player in the middle of the field.
Going ahead, Kobbie Mainoo will undoubtedly be Erik ten Hag’s main man in the middle.The gifted young player, who has previously played for England at all levels, is one of just three Manchester United players who isn’t available for transfer before the start of the current Premier League season.Only Christian Eriksen and Scott McTominay are available in the middle of the park as potential options for Ten Hag.For the man from Holland to summon.
The club has apparently decided to make a move and has resorted to the transfer market as a result. United is targeting a new midfield player.
Now, a new report suggests that Manchester United is considering a deal for Bayern Munich mainstay Leon Goretzka.
The German has been a mainstay in the Bayern side in recent seasons, but the emergence of Alexander Pavlovic has seen his importance diminish somewhat. Goretzka drew plenty of praise from Bayern chief Christoph Freund, who labelled him a “top player” and “leader” less than 12 months ago.
“Leon is an absolute top player, which he has consistently proven at the highest level over many years.
“In the past few weeks, he has shown strong performances in various positions, playing with a broken hand – that shows his great mentality. Leon is a leader who always leads the way on the pitch and takes responsibility even in difficult situations.”
A no-nonsense midfielder, Goretzka grabbed six goals and seven assists in 30 Bundesliga outings last season, and statistically speaking is similar to Arsenal’s Declan Rice (according to stat site fbref), who Manchester United were keen to sign before he made the move to north London.
The 29-year-old still has two years left to run on his £300,000 a week deal in Bavaria, but Football Transfers report that he has “been made available for a move this window” as Bayern look to freshen up their side under Vincent Kompany.
Goretzka himself may also be keen on a departure, having missed out on Germany’s EURO 2024 squad and seemingly out of favour with the national side.Manchester United’s pursuit of a new midfield player has led them to consider a move for Bayern Munich’s Leon Goretzka. Erik ten Hag’s midfield options are limited, with only Christian Eriksen and Scott McTominay available, as Kobbie Mainoo is poised to be a key player but not available for transfer.
Goretzka has been a significant player for Bayern, contributing six goals and seven assists in 30 Bundesliga matches last season. Despite his consistent performance and leadership qualities praised by Bayern chief Christoph Freund, the emergence of Alexander Pavlovic has reduced his prominence in the team. Additionally, Goretzka’s exclusion from Germany’s EURO 2024 squad might make a move more appealing to him.
United’s interest in Goretzka aligns with their previous ambitions to sign similar midfielders like Declan Rice. Goretzka’s contract with Bayern, which runs until 2026 with a weekly wage of £300,000, might complicate the transfer, but Bayern’s intention to refresh their squad under Vincent Kompany could facilitate the deal.
