Schalke’s Leon Goretzka has made his decision.
The highly-rated midfielder, 22, had attracted attention from some of the world’s biggest football clubs over recent months, all keen to sign him when his contract with the Gelsenkirchen club expired at the end of the current season.
Manchester United were credited with an interest, as were Liverpool – who at one point appeared to be working extra hard in order to persuade the German international to move to Anfield. Despite this, it was confirmed earlier in the week that Goretzka would in fact be staying in Germany next season. Not with Schalke, but with Bayern Munich.
“Leon Goretzka has earlier this week informed us that he would like to leave the club and join Bayern Munich,” Christian Heidel, Schalke’s sporting director, said earlier this week.
“We noted that with regret. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has told us that Leon has passed his medical. We are losing a very good player.
“He has signed a contract from July 1, 2018 with Bayern. We did everything possible to keep Leon.”
Perhaps understandably, the news hasn’t gone down too well with Schalke’s supporters.
Ahead of their side’s game against Hannover on Sunday, they displayed a couple of banners which made their feelings towards the player perfectly clear.
One of them, which was unfurled as the players warmed up, read: ‘Neither money nor trophies are worth more than our club, the one who does not appreciate that can piss off immediately!’
Another, pictured below, translates to ‘[You’ve] Abandoned 1000 friends for emotionless titles and superficial spivs’.
A banner aimed at Goretzka at the Veltins Arena: "Abandoned 1000 friends for emotionless titles and superficial spivs." #s04 #bvb https://t.co/qo7WpanIkD
— Stefan Buczko (@StefanBuczko) January 21, 2018
We can safely assume Schalke’s support don’t think too much of Bayern Munich.
After Goretzka rejected their reported offer, we suspect Liverpool fans might appreciate this, too.
