Real Madrid ready to pinch another Bayern star for free

Robin Bairner

• 22 Jul 2021 02:05 CDT
• 5 min read

Real Madrid are getting ready to raid Bayern Munich for another star who could arrive on a free transfer.

Already this summer, Los Blancos have captured David Alaba from the Bundesliga champions, with the defender arriving as a replacement to the departing Sergio Ramos, who has gone to PSG.

Meanwhile, Madrid are carefully managing their budgets due to the financial fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic and previously accumulated debts. Any top-class arrival on a free transfer would, therefore, be welcomed with open arms.

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And it is Leon Goretzka that Real Madrid are next interested in from the Allianz Arena ranks, according to a report from Bild.

The central midfielder has already been closely associated with Manchester United, where he could go as a replacement for Paul Pogba. Indeed, reports from The Sun state that manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is hoping for a cut-price deal to go through this summer, although those hint that Pogba will need to be first transferred for a move to take place. That appears unlikely at this juncture.

Real Madrid will, therefore, come into the running for the Bayern player next summer and will be able to begin making contact directly with the player from 1 January, 2022.

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Why do Real Madrid need Goretzka?

Real Madrid have an aging midfield unit, with Toni Kroos, Casemiro and Luka Modric all set to be over 30 by the time the season ends.

Goretzka, meanwhile, is approaching the prime years of his career and is a figure who could be at the Bernabeu for five or more years.

Furthermore, financial management is important for Madrid at this juncture. With their finances seriously stretched, the appeal of signing such an asset on a free transfer is an attractive one, although it may be that their primary target next summer is Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe. This depends, however, on what the Frenchman decides to do with his future.

Goretzka is a player who has seen his stock at Bayern consistently rise since joining them from Schalke in 2018 but with Manchester United and Real Madrid circling, he could be at one of the game’s other great institutions by this time next year.