Manchester United could be heading back to Bavaria to bolster their squad this summer, with Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka a reported target.
The Old Trafford club raided Bayern for defensive reinforcements earlier this year in the shape of Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui.
And according to the FC Bayern Insider Podcast, via TBR football, United have a firm interest in the “world class” Goretzka, who has fallen out of favour under Vincent Kompany.
Speaking on the podcast, German football journalist Tobi Altschaffl said: “Goretzka is an issue at Manchester United. The new coach is said to be looking for reinforcements, and that might be an option for the summer.”
Altschaffl did, however, dispel rumours that the player has already been offered to United, explaining that “Bayern Munich doesn’t do that.
“That’s not Bayern-like. Bayern don’t do that as a matter of principle, unless you’re talking about younger players.”
Nobody would be surprised if the 29-year-old was looking for a Bayern exit, given that he has spent the majority of the season so far on the bench.
The German has appeared nine times in the Bundesliga, making only one start and racking up just 186 minutes.
It’s all too familiar to see United sniffing around a top-class midfielder as their powers begin to wane, with Casemiro a very current reminder of the potential flaws of this policy.
There’s even a direct history of this with Bayern Munich, when Bastian Schweinsteiger was brought in under Louis van Gaal as a flagship signing. The fact that Bayern were prepared to part ways with him at all should have been a red flag, and this should be borne in mind with any approach for Goretzka.
Nevertheless, United fans can certainly expect midfield reinforcements as Ruben Amorim steps into the dugout.
The Portuguese coach will place heavy emphasis on intensity in midfield, and with question marks over how Casemiro and Christian Eriksen will cope with this, new signings are inevitable.
Featured image Stuart Franklin via Getty Images
Joe Ponting
Joe has spent more than half his life writing about football and all of it following United. As a child he told a doctor his name was ‘Paul Scholes’, but could never pick a pass like him no matter how much he tried.
