Most valuable winter finish
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Leon Goretzka will probably leave FC Bayern for Madrid soon. Like the sports newspaper “Marca” reports, Atlético has agreed with the Munich team on a winter transfer of the midfielder – since Goretzka’s contract ends on June 30th, the transfer fee is manageable. According to the report, the Rojiblancos, in the person of sports director Mateu Alemany, who was in Munich at the beginning of the week, were able to reduce this to 2 million to 3 million euros. Bayern are said to have had a transfer fee of 10 million euros in mind, based on a rumored salary of 8.5 million euros gross for the duration of the second half of the season seems utopian.
Once the transfer is official, Goretzka will be Munich’s most valuable permanent winter departure since market values were surveyed in 2004. So far it was Sandro Wagner, who moved to Chinese club TJ Jinmen Tiger in January 2019 with a market value of 8 million euros. The national player is currently valued at 15 million euros.
Goretzka played 292 games for the record champions, was directly involved in 95 goals and has won 13 titles since his free transfer from FC Schalke in the summer of 2018 – including the treble in 2019/20. He had his highest market value in 2021 at 70 million euros, since then he has received six devaluations while he slipped into the second tier as one of the top earners at Bayern. Atlético are said to be prepared to cover Goretzka’s salary completely for the duration of the second half of the season. In addition, the Schalke homegrown player, who celebrates his 31st birthday on February 6th, has a contract dated until 2028.
Goretzka 4. Transfer between FC Bayern and Atlético Madrid
Goretzka would be the fourth transfer between Munich and Atlético. Lucas Hernández moved to Säbener Strasse in the summer of 2019 for a transfer fee of 80 million euros, a record purchase at the time. Before that, Mario Mandžukić moved from Bavaria to Madrid in 2014 for 22 million euros and Adolfo Valencia in 1994 for 2.25 million euros. For Goretzka it would be the first stop outside Germany. “A step out would also be a step for my personal development. Getting to know something new would enrich my life,” said Goretzka in an interview with “Zeit”. At Atlético he would be the replacement for Conor Gallagher, who moved to Tottenham for 40 million euros.
In the Bayern squad, even if Goretzka were to leave, the midfield would be strong with Aleksandar Pavlovic, Joshua Kimmich, Tom Bischof and Raphaël Guerreiro as well as Konrad Laimer, who can help out in the headquarters. There are also talents like David Santos Daiber and Felipe Chávez.
