Leon Goretzka is being linked with Arsenal
Leon Goretzka is being linked with Arsenal
Over the past two months, Sport Witness have kept a close eye on Arsenal’s interest in Bayern Munich’s Leon Goretzka.
German newspaper Bild have spoken of Mikel Arteta’s side facing competition from Tottenham, with Italian teams also in the mix for his signature.
Goretzka’s contract in Bavaria runs out in the summer. So far, there have been no signs of a renewal and the German is looking at a new destination.
His demands are now becoming clear, with Arsenal in the race.
Arsenal providing pressure
TuttoSport have reported about the Germany international’s situation, as he is also of interest to Inter Milan.
The Nerazzurri have a very good relationship with his entourage at Roof, having also dealt with them when negotiating for Ademola Lookman. This is currently not really giving them an advantage.
Arsenal are putting on pressure to land him and are presented as a problem for Inter.
Goretzka’s demands currently stand at €6m to €6.5m per season, which will be after tax. He wants a three-year deal, with Inter unlikely to meet those. To them, the midfielder will be amongst the highest wage earners alongside Nicolo Barella and Marcus Thuram.
That is why the move poses a risk and considerations are ongoing at Appiano Gentile. This is putting Arsenal in an advantageous situation, with AC Milan also keeping an eye on the player.
Goretzka presents a conundrum
While Goretzka feels like a fit for Mikel Arteta’s system, he is very similar to Mikel Merino. Both players aren’t really technical outlets and are much more effective in the final third. They are ideally associated with making late runs and scoring goals.
That is why signing the 31-year-old would present a conundrum to Arsenal.
His salary request isn’t small, and he may want assurances over a regular first-team role. Using him deeper in midfield will be a waste of resources for the Gunners, who should look at more technical midfielders.
Merino alone has shown he is capable of playing the role that Goretzka usually plays on the pitch.