Leon Goretzka delighted to extend deal with Bayern Munich

Leon Goretzka’s immediate future is set as the 26-year-old midfielder extended his contract with Bayern Munich earlier today.

Goretzka is excited to have his future stabilized with a club that can offer the ability to compete year-in and year-out in Europe, while also giving me the chance for financial security.

“The opportunity to win titles here was very important to me and we did that from day one. It’s clear that individual development then follows and I have also noticed that with myself,” said Goretzka (as captured by Twitter account @iMiaSanMia). “I’m not going to lie, of course money also played a role. But it’s not about squeezing out the last euro. It’s important to feel appreciated, and that’s been the case from the start.”

For Goretzka, he also gets an opportunity to play with some close friends moving forward — including Joshua Kimmich.

“Of course. Joshua has also become an important person for me off the pitch. That’s why I am very happy that we will continue to be on the pitch together,” said Goretzka. “This team is very, very special. To have such a high level between friends is something I don’t think will happen again in Europe. We have a unique mix, especially with the 1995 generation and the older ones. I’m looking forward to the next few years here. If we can maintain this climate and continue to display this hunger, then we will be attractive to other players and those who have yet to renew their contracts.”

When asked if he considered dropping his agent and negotiating on his own, Goretzka said he admired Kimmich for doing that, but it just was not for him.

“I take off my hat to Joshua for representing himself, but that wasn’t an option for me,” said Goretzka.

One other major factor in convincing Goretzka to extend his stay in Munich was the presence of Julian Nagelsmann.

“Of course, Julian (Nagelsmann) played an essential role because he is an extremely important person for us in our day-to-day work. We have all reached a certain level by now. But we still want to learn every day. He is exactly the right coach for us,” said Goretzka.