Aston Villa Close to Signing Leon Goretzka on Free Transfer

Aston Villa are closing in on a statement midfield signing, with Germany international Leon Goretzka poised to join on a free transfer.

The 31-year-old is available after leaving Bayern Munich in the summer and Villa have held what are understood to be positive talks as Unai Emery looks to rebuild the heart of his team.

Emery turns to Goretzka after injury blow and missed target

Emery’s plans were shaken when Amadou Onana was ruled out until next year with a knee injury suffered while on duty with Belgium at the World Cup. Villa needed experience, power and personality in midfield. Goretzka ticks every box.

Villa had been chasing his former Bayern team-mate Joao Palhinha, only to see that pursuit fade with the midfielder now expected to head to Benfica instead. The focus has moved firmly to Goretzka, a player with a heavyweight CV and the kind of pedigree rarely available for nothing.

Across eight seasons in Munich, Goretzka made 312 appearances and scored 51 goals, anchoring and driving a Bayern side that dominated German football. He collected seven Bundesliga titles and lifted the Champions League in 2020, adding a ruthless winning edge that Emery wants inside his dressing room.

On the international stage, Goretzka has 73 caps for Germany and featured three times at this summer’s World Cup, underlining that he remains part of the elite conversation at the highest level.

Villa rebuild after star exodus

That experience arrives at a time of major change. Villa have lost several key players in a turbulent summer window.

• Ezri Konsa completed a move to Arsenal on Friday in a deal worth an initial £51m.
• Morgan Rogers has gone to Chelsea for £117m, a remarkable fee that underlines how aggressively the Premier League’s heavyweights have circled Villa’s squad.
• Youri Tielemans left for Manchester United in July, while Lucas Digne sealed a return to Paris St‑Germain earlier this month.

Each departure has stripped away a layer of know-how. Goretzka, if the move is finalised, would help restore it in one hit.

Watkins future still uncertain

Up front, there is another cloud. Emery admitted he cannot guarantee that Ollie Watkins will remain at Villa Park beyond the transfer deadline, with Al‑Hilal in Saudi Arabia pushing to tempt the England striker away.

“We have an issue with him, it's clear. He is our player. We have had offers for him,” Emery said on Friday.

“I don't want to sell him but it can change because if it's a good option for him and the club and I can replace him in the squad, this is the routine we have and we did before with the players who are leaving.”

That is the reality of Villa’s current model: big offers listened to, big names moved on, and the squad constantly reshaped.

Goretzka, if he signs, would not just be another name through the door. He would be a signal that even amid upheaval, Emery intends to keep Villa operating at Champions League level – and expects his new midfield general to drag them there.