Bayern Munich star aware of possible Atletico Madrid transfer

Originally posted on Football Espana | By John Menzies | Last updated Dec 22, 2025 6:09 AM ET

Atletico Madrid have started drawing up plans for next summer’s transfer window, which should be another busy one in the offices of the RiyadhAir Metropolitano. It’s expected that at least one defender and striker could arrive, while there is also the possibility of a new central midfielder coming in too, depending on how the situations with Koke Resurreccion and Conor Gallagher play out.

If someone were to be signed, one of the candidates best-placed is Leon Goretzka . The 30-year-old sees his Bayern Munich contract expire at the end of the season, and at this stage, no decision has been made on whether he will stay at the Allianz Arena – although it is more likely than not that he ends his eight-year stay in Bavaria.

According to Diario AS, Goretzka is aware of the interest being shown in him by Atleti. He views the move favourably, although he has not yet made any decision on where he goes in the event of leaving Bayern.

Atleti will face steep competition for Goretzka

It’s expected that Goretzka will attract significant interest over the coming months, and Christian Falk has already revealed that the Germany international is wanted by a number of top European clubs.

“Goretzka has a market; he’s very highly-rated in Istanbul. Galatasaray wants him, Fenerbahçe wants him. Those aren’t his first-choice clubs. But then there are also Italian clubs following him; there’s Juventus and Napoli, who are both interested in him. So, he has big chances. If you’re a free agent like Leon, you can get a salary like his Bayern salary. He’ll also have about €17m gross because he’ll also get a signing fee – Bayern Munich won’t pay that again. I think both sides will shake hands and say goodbye in the summer.”

It remains to be seen whether Atleti make a serious move to sign Goretzka. His salary demands could be an issue for a club that has its fair share of financial problems, so unless he brings those down, an agreement may be difficult to pull off.

This article first appeared on Football Espana and was syndicated with permission.

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