Villa Close to Coup Signing of Leon Goretzka
Aston Villa have moved to sign former Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka on a free transfer, with the deal now agreed in principle, according to The Athletic, after Matteo Moretto of Marca initially broke the news.
Personal terms are understood to have been agreed, although Goretzka must still complete a medical before the move can be officially finalised. Villa are hopeful of completing the entire process within the next week.
After missing out on João Palhinha, Villa remained in the market for midfield cover following Amadou Onana’s ACL injury while representing Belgium at the World Cup, which is expected to keep him sidelined for much of the season.
Goretzka’s contract with Bayern Munich expired at the end of last season, bringing an eight-year spell with the German giants to a close after more than 300 senior appearances. The 31-year-old attracted plenty of interest while searching for his next destination, with Atlético Madrid, Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Arsenal all linked with him at different stages.
Not So Free Transfer
A free transfer does not necessarily mean Goretzka will arrive cheaply, however. The midfielder is reportedly seeking wages of around €7m net per season, along with a signing bonus of approximately €10m. Those demands are believed to have discouraged several potential suitors and help explain why a player of his calibre remained without a club so late into the window.
Considering Villa’s recent struggles with Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) and Squad Cost Ratio (SCR), it is somewhat surprising that they are prepared to consider a financial package of that size. Still, it represents a cheaper alternative to the original option of paying Bayern’s €20m asking price for Palhinha, who is also 31, rather than the loan deal Villa had preferred. Palhinha ultimately joined Benfica for €15m plus €5m in add-ons.
Mr Gravitas
While Palhinha could be considered the stronger specialist defensive midfielder, Goretzka offers considerably more across different phases of the game. At his peak, he was among Europe’s leading box-to-box midfielders and regularly contributed goals as well.
From a tactical perspective, his versatility should give Unai Emery greater flexibility while also bringing experience, quality and gravitas to the squad, much like Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio did during Villa’s previous Champions League campaign.
The former Bayern No. 8 stands at 6ft 2in and will provide a significant physical presence in central midfield. That should further strengthen a Villa engine room that is becoming increasingly dynamic, with João Gomes and Johan Manzambi also offering different qualities.
Despite his age and potentially significant wages, Villa have lost several experienced leaders in recent months, including Lucas Digne, Youri Tielemans and Ezri Konsa, while the futures of Ollie Watkins and Emiliano Martínez remain uncertain. Emery could therefore see value in bringing a seasoned Champions League campaigner into a squad where younger players such as Gomes, Alejandro Garnacho, George Hemmings and Brian Madjo could benefit from his experience.
There is little doubt that the arrival of a player of Goretzka’s stature will also provide some reassurance to Villa supporters ahead of the new season.
Model Midfielder
Away from football, there is also an interesting connection to the profile of Onana. The Belgian has cultivated something of a model-like image since arriving at Villa Park, while Goretzka already has an established presence in that world.
The German was named German GQ’s Man of the Year in 2020 and has held endorsement partnerships with Hugo Boss, Tommy Hilfiger and Adidas.
The Adidas connection could be particularly relevant. Nassef Sawiris’ 7% stake in the sportswear giant played a key role in Villa securing their own kit partnership with the brand, so it would be interesting to know whether Goretzka’s existing relationship with Adidas helped smooth any of the financial details involved in bringing the deal together.
