Liverpool have set their sights on signing Bayern Munich's Leon Goretzka, with Jurgen Klopp believed to be a big fan of the midfielder, according to a recent report from Football Transfers.
Is Leon Goretzka leaving Bayern Munich?
Despite increasing speculation about a summer exit, Goretzka has made it clear he wants to stay and fight for his place at Bayern Munich, with his agents not open for any negotiations with other clubs at this stage.
Bayern are willing to let the midfielder leave this summer, with Thomas Tuchel looking to free up some space in his squad, and West Ham United have identified him as a target following Declan Rice's recent departure to Arsenal.
The Hammers are preparing an offer for the German, and a whole host of other Premier League clubs are also interested, with Manchester United currently monitoring him, and Liverpool have now joined the race for his signature.
That is according to a report from Football Transfers, which states that the Reds have set their sights on the 28-year-old to bolster their midfield, amid uncertainty over the futures of Jordan Henderson, Fabinho and Thiago Alcantara.
Klopp views the Germany international as a prime candidate to fill the centre of the park, having previously made an approach to sign him back in 2018, and Bayern are now open to a sale, for a fee in the region of around €40m (£35m).
One of the central midfielder's key attributes is his versatility, as he is able to effectively operate in both a deep lying midfield role and further forward.
How good is Leon Goretzka?
The Bochum-born midfielder has been an integral player for Bayern over the course of several seasons now, making a total of 40 appearances in all competitions last term, during which time he registered six goals and six assists.
Despite most commonly playing in a slightly deeper midfield role, the former Schalke 04 man has managed to regularly chime in with goals and assists for Bayern since arriving ahead of the 2018-19 campaign, recordinga total of 34 goals and 35 assists in 179 appearances.
Former Bayern boss Julian Nagelsmann has heaped praise on the maestro for his ability in both boxes, saying: "Leon is one of the best box-to-box players in Europe. He has incredible goal threat and knows when to bomb forward."
Last season, the central midfielder averaged 1.1 interceptions per game in the Bundesliga, the third-highest figure in the Bayern squad, highlighting his defensive capabilities, while he also averaged 1.6 tackles, far more than Henderson averaged in the Premier League.
Goretzka is clearly a very well-rounded midfielder, competent defensively and able to provide a threat on the front foot, and it is exciting news that Liverpool now view him as one of their key targets to bolster their midfield.
However, it does not appear as though he will be leaving Bayern any time soon, considering he has made it clear he wants to fight for his place, and he is contracted until the summer of 2026.
