West Ham are reportedly among the clubs eyeing a potential move for Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka. The 29-year-old has grown frustrated with his lack of playing time under Bayern’s new manager, Vincent Kompany, having made only a brief one-minute appearance in a competitive match this season.
Goretzka, once a key player, has found himself behind Aleksandar Pavlovic and summer signing Joao Palhinha in Kompany’s plans, a situation that has left him discontented.
Speaking on Goretzka’s position, Bayern’s director of sport, Max Eberl, commented: “We communicated very clearly from the start. Leon knew that we were relying on Pavlo [Pavlovic], and that we would bring in Palhinha, with Josh [Kimmich] also playing more centrally again. We’ve also said that when Leon is ready to face the situation, he’ll be treated completely normally.”
Eberl added: “Leon’s a great guy. I like him a lot, even though he’s obviously upset at the moment. I understand that too. But that’s part of life in football.”
Goretzka, whose contract at Bayern runs until 2026, may be on the market this January. As his transfer value could decrease heading into the final year of his deal, Bayern could be open to a sale.
According to The Sun, both Manchester United and West Ham have expressed interest in signing the German international, with other Premier League clubs also likely to monitor the situation closely if his Bayern exit seems imminent.