According to Sport, Schalke 04 midfielder Leon Goretzka wants to move to the Premier League when his contract expires at the end of the 2017-18 campaign.
What’s the story?
Goretzka, 22, is widely expected to leave his German club Schalke when his contract expires this summer, and as a result, a host of clubs are scrambling for his signature.
Barcelona have previously been credited with an interest in the versatile midfielder, but according to Sport, Goretzka has decided that he wants to play in the Premier League.
Arsenal and Liverpool are both said to hold a strong interest in the German, and a battle between the English duo could take place in the second half of the season.
Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are also believed to be in the hunt, although various reports place Arsenal and Liverpool as the two favourites for one of the hottest free transfers on the market.
What are Goretzka’s credentials?
Goretzka has been in fine form for Schalke this season – managing four goals in nine appearances from midfield, which is impressive at any level of football.
Despite being just 22, he has played almost 130 times for Schalke’s first team, and has also scored six times in just 12 appearances for the German national team.
A powerful presence in the middle of the park, Goretzka is built for Premier League football, and would surely have to go down as one of the best free transfers of all time.
With Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich all said to be interested, it is not going to be easy for the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool to win the battle.
Goretzka, who is valued at £20.7m by transfermarkt.co.uk, is seemingly desperate to play in the Premier League, however, and whoever wins the race for the brilliant German could have a midfield general for the next 10 years.
