Aston Villa have completed the signing of Germany international Leon Goretzka on a free transfer following his departure from Bayern Munich.
The 31-year-old midfielder was officially unveiled as a Villa player on Thursday after passing his medical and completing the formalities of a move that brings his hugely successful eight-year spell at Bayern to an end.
Goretzka becomes Unai Emery’s eighth signing of a summer in which Villa have extensively reshaped their squad. His arrival also provides much-needed experience in midfield following several significant departures.
Goretzka brings huge winning pedigree
Villa have secured a player with extensive experience at the highest level without having to pay a transfer fee.
Goretzka joined Bayern from Schalke in 2018 and went on to make 312 appearances for the German giants, scoring 51 goals.
He won seven Bundesliga titles and three German Cups during his time in Munich and was a key member of the Bayern side that won the Champions League in 2020. Bayern said Goretzka collected 15 trophies during his eight years at the club.
The midfielder’s contract expired this summer, allowing Villa to negotiate directly with him after he became a free agent.
Villa moved quickly to secure his signature after opening negotiations last week, with Emery personally speaking to Goretzka as the club attempted to convince him to move to the Premier League.
Villa rebuild midfield after major departures
Goretzka’s arrival comes during a period of considerable change at Villa Park.
Youri Tielemans has joined Manchester United, while Morgan Rogers has moved to Chelsea. Defender Ezri Konsa has also left Villa for Arsenal.
Goretzka gives Emery an experienced central-midfield option as Villa attempt to rebuild following those departures.
He also arrives with significant international pedigree. Goretzka has won 73 caps for Germany and made three appearances for his country during this summer’s World Cup.
Premier League challenge begins
The move represents the first time Goretzka will play club football outside Germany.
He began his senior career with Bochum before joining Schalke in 2013 and moving to Bayern five years later. His departure from Munich had been confirmed months before his contract expired, with Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund announcing in January that the midfielder would pursue a new challenge.
Goretzka now begins that challenge at Villa Park as Emery adds another vastly experienced player to his revamped squad.
The signing also allows Villa to strengthen a key position without spending a transfer fee, potentially preserving funds for further business before the summer window closes.
