Bayern boss not ruling out new deal for Goretzka: “He took his chance”

Christoph Freund is full of praise for the way Leon Goretzka has fought his way back into the limelight for Bayern Munich.

Last summer, Bayern Munich wanted to sell Leon Goretzka and told the midfielder that he couldn’t be guaranteed regular playing time.

However, the 30-year-old refused to leave and instead opted to stay and fight for his place.

This has ultimately paid off for Goretzka, who has been given more and more game time as the season has progressed.

Goretzka’s mentality and workrate have earned him the admiration of Bayern sporting director, Christoph Freund, who isn’t ruling out the possibility of extending the midfielder’s contract beyond 2026.

“Leon didn’t have an easy situation. He fought his way back and has played a lot recently,” said Freund at a press conference on Friday. 

“We openly communicated that it would be difficult in the summer. It’s not a matter of course that he stuck with it, never buried his head in the sand, but accepted it openly, dealt with it very professionally and said he wanted to take up the fight. And he just kept working, he worked very well.

“Hats off to him for the way he dealt with the situation. That says a lot about his character. He’s played some really good games. Football is also day-to-day business, so he took his chance and is a very important factor for us. We’ll see what the future brings. We’re happy to have him because he’s currently doing very well and is an important factor for us.”