Manchester United suffer blow in race to sign 29-year-old Bundesliga star: Reports
Manchester United have suffered a fresh setback in the race to sign Leon Goretzka from Bayern Munich, according to a report by Caught Offside. This development comes days after Joao Palhinha's injury had given Goretzka an opportunity to feature regularly in Bayern's midfield.
At the start of the 2024-25 campaign, Goretzka lost his place in Bayern's starting XI. This fueled rumors regarding his future at Allianz Arena, with his contract scheduled to expire in June 2026.
However, Bayern Munich's sports director has recently stated that Goretzka is set to extend his contract with Bayern. During an interview, Max Eberl said (via Caught Offside):
"We will discuss what the future holds with him again. We spoke to Goretzka in the summer and he decided to stay. We are happy that he's here. He's an important part of the team."
Goretzka has registered two goal contributions in 10 appearances for Bayern this season. An extension of his current contract implies that he would stay at Bayern beyond 2026.
As such, Manchester United will have to turn their attention elsewhere in their quest to sign a new midfielder.
Aston Villa interested in signing Joshua Zirkzee from Manchester United - Reports
Aston Villa are looking to sign Joshua Zirkzee from Manchester United, according to Caught Offside. Since joining the Red Devils from Bologna in July 2024 for a reported €42.5 million, the Dutchman has struggled to impress his new club.
New manager Rubin Amorin is reportedly ready to offload the player following his performances this season.
This season, Zirkzee has only scored one goal in 18 appearances. While this could be tied to the Red Devils' inconsistency, Zirkzee has failed to live up to the expectations at Old Trafford.
Aston Villa are looking to give the Dutchman a fresh start by signing him in the upcoming January transfer window. They could also be looking to sign Zirkzee as a replacement for Jhon Duran.