Leon Goretzka Offered to Atlético Madrid

According to Diario AS newspaper, Leon Goretzka (31 years old, German) has been offered to Atlético Madrid as the club is looking to strengthen its midfield before the 2026-27 season. The Bayern Munich midfielder is out of contract on June 30, making him a free agent this week, and his representatives have put his name on Los Colchoneros' list of targets while considering potential destinations across Europe.

Atlético's attempt to add a midfielder has taken place on multiple fronts this summer, with sporting director Alemany said to be managing a list of targets at various price points. As previously mentioned on Football Espana, Aleix García is also a name the club are actively pursuing, which shows the variety of options that Simeone's coaching staff are considering in the midfield.

What is worth noting here is the difference between a player being offered to a club and a club actively pursuing that player. AS's report confirms that Goretzka has been offered to Atlético, but not that Atlético have made a formal offer or offered a deal of their own. This is not a trivial distinction, especially in the context of this particular case.

Goretzka was one of the players Alemany targeted in the January transfer window, with reports at the time claiming Atlético had proposed a nominal fee – understood to be around €2-3m – to take him to the Metropolitano mid-season. Bayern refused, and Goretzka himself chose to let his contract expire and leave in the summer on his own terms.

This confirms that there is genuine interest from both sides on a number of levels; however, it does not confirm that the current offer will be implemented, especially as the issue of salary remains a key complicating factor. AS notes that Goretzka's reported annual salary at Bayern is around 15 million euros before tax – a figure that AS admits is beyond Atlético's ability to meet.

This factor has a greater influence on whether this pursuit develops into an actual transfer than any other factor in the story, and AS's report emphasizes that Atlético have not found a way to overcome this yet. In terms of football, Goretzka at Metropolitano is not a difficult choice to build. He is 1.89 meters tall, moves freely throughout the 90 minutes, and is capable of operating both as a ball winner and as a runner into the opposition area – qualities that suit the midfield roles that Simeone often favors. He has played 2,349 minutes for Bayern in 48 matches this season, contributing five goals and five assists, showing he remains a useful and reliable player even if no longer an automatic selection at one of Europe's wealthiest clubs.


The question of age - he turns 32 in February - is something to consider but does not influence the selection of Simeone, who has never prioritized youth in midfield over experience and tactical compliance. Koke has had an excellent season, and Cardoso failed to meet expectations in his debut season as a rojiblanco, it is for that reason that Atlético are looking to add quality in this area.

The bigger concern is not whether Goretzka can do well at this level, but whether his salary demands leave any viable avenues for a deal. Amid Atlético's additions, Kang-in Lee has also emerged as a concurrent target for Los Colchoneros this summer, reflecting the diversity of profiles the club are considering as Simeone refines his demands. Atlético's position is that they need at least one addition to their midfield, and possibly two if Cardoso's situation is resolved through loan or departure.

Morten Hjulmand, the Danish midfielder currently playing for Sporting CP, is reported by AS to be one of the favorites within the club's sporting structure, with a price tag believed to be between €40-45 million – an amount that represents a significant but not impossible investment for Atlético if the wage package can be adjusted.

This price comparison is very helpful. A free transfer for Goretzka would completely remove a financial barrier, but the salary requirement could create an equivalent barrier instead. Discussions about Atlético's midfield have also extended to Premier League clubs, suggesting that the club are not limiting their options to any profile or fee structure.

Goretzka's offer came during a truly competitive internal process rather than an obvious void waiting to be filled. From Goretzka's perspective, this is an agent-led process that creates competition among interested parties before a decision is made. AS notes that Juventus are said to be keen from Italy, and Arsenal have been monitoring his situation in England - while Tottenham and Milan are also mentioned in other reports from Europe. Atlético is just one of many options, not the frontrunner in any way as reported by AS.

Bayern's involvement in this affair is now completely gone: his contract expires this week and the club no longer has significant power or influence over where he goes. Whether Bayern would prefer a small transfer fee in January rather than letting him leave for free is beside the point. The decision now lies entirely with Goretzka and which club can meet his salary demands. The next key development will be whether Atlético show Goretzka's team that they can close the gap on his wage demands – either by restructuring the terms from pre-tax to post-tax or by providing performance-related incentives – or whether the financial math confirms what AS's report implies: that a free transfer is attractive in theory but unachievable in practice with the current numbers on the table.