Bitter first instead of a "privilege"! Does Leon Goretzka have only one way out left after his departure from Bayern Munich?

After his departure from Bayern Munich, he himself saw himself in a "privileged situation". Yet shortly before the start of the season in Europe’s top leagues, Leon Goretzka still has not found a new club.

Leon Goretzka seemed to have the luxury of choice. Atletico Madrid, Juventus Turin, AC Milan, Inter Milan, even the English champions Arsenal were all said to have shown interest in the central midfielder in recent months.

So why not? Although Goretzka was often little more than a spectator in the really big games in his last of eight seasons for Bayern Munich, or only came on shortly before the end, he still remained an important part of coach Vincent Kompany's plans. In the Bundesliga above all, which had already been decided early on, the 31-year-old regularly featured in the starting XI. Across all competitions, he still racked up a respectable 48 appearances, even though his departure had already been made public in January.

Former Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann even indirectly gave Goretzka a guarantee of a starting place for the World Cup in his much-discussed kicker interview at the beginning of March. Even if the former Bayern coach did not back up those words in this and several other cases and Felix Nmecha and Aleksandar Pavlovic were ultimately preferred, it underlined the Bochum native's standing at the time.

Now, just under three months after the embarrassing exit of the Germany national team, including three substitute appearances during the tournament, Goretzka's situation appears to have changed fundamentally. There can hardly be any more talk of the "privileged situation" he himself still called his search for a club in May. Nor of concrete negotiations with a new employer. Instead, a bitter first has hit him: for the first time in his career, Goretzka is actually without a club.

A first in his career: Why is Leon Goretzka still without a club?

Comments from transfer insider Gianluca Di Marzio have only added to the sense that time is starting to run short for Goretzka. The transfer window in Europe's top leagues closes on 1 September. By then, those leagues will already be under way, and top clubs in European competitions have to finalise their squads shortly after the deadline.

"At the moment there is no interest in Leon Goretzka," the renowned journalist from Italy told the portal Wettfreunde. A move to Serie A, long considered the most likely destination for the 73-cap international, is also failing to take shape, while the now 40-year-old Luka Modric even extended his contract in Milan once again. On the other hand, it is "really strange that he is without a contract, because he is an incredible player".

The sticking point is said to be Goretzka's salary demands. Among other things, the newspapers spoke of a net annual salary of seven million euros and a lavish signing fee of ten million euros. That would suggest he is hardly willing to make concessions. In Munich, Goretzka is said to have earned 13 million euros gross. Far too much, critics often said, especially when looking back at the contract extensions for Goretzka, Joshua Kimmich or Serge Gnabry that were wrapped up after the sextuple and caused lasting damage to Bayern's wage structure.

Elsewhere in Europe, clubs apparently see that kind of salary for Goretzka, for all his undeniable qualities, as completely utopian. Quite simply, no club has yet been willing to meet his demands.

Meanwhile, the example of Chelsea shows that players over 30 still have a market in England. As part of his buying frenzy, coach Xabi Alonso unexpectedly signed two "old men" in striker Danny Welbeck (35) and Jordan Henderson (36), who like Goretzka operates in the centre. But with time passing, the options are becoming increasingly limited. It looks as though Goretzka is almost dependent on serious injuries elsewhere if he is to land at a club with title ambitions and European competition involvement.

Hardly any options left: Is Leon Goretzka now moving to Turkey?

Turkey could offer a way out, and Di Marzio raised that possibility too. "Because a lot of money is paid there for free agents. So it would not surprise me if Goretzka moves to the Turkish league," he said.

This summer, the trend of moving to the Süper Lig even at the very best footballing age or long before the peak has gathered pace again. Prominent examples include Dusan Vlahovic (26, Besiktas Istanbul), Mason Greenwood (24), Nathan Ake (31, both Fenerbahce Istanbul) or Mohamed Salah (34, Trabzonspor). The purchasing power on the Bosporus is apparently greater than ever, and market leaders Galatasaray Istanbul, where Goretzka's long-time team-mate Leroy Sane plays, have so far stayed completely quiet.

By contrast, a move to the USA or Saudi Arabia looks highly unlikely. He already ruled out the latter destination in 2023. "That some players are drawn there in the autumn of their careers is their right," he said at the time to Sport1, making it clear: "But personally I can absolutely rule that out for myself. I would very clearly prefer Bochum or Schalke."

Even a return to his beloved Ruhr area does not look like a realistic option right now. At VfL, though, hopes of a reunion are already growing for the point when Goretzka himself reaches the late autumn of his career in a few years. "Leon made many people in Bochum proud. He will now play once more at the highest level before hopefully returning. That is our big wish - and hopefully his too," sporting managing director Ilja Kaenzig said in June in Sport Bild.

Right now, though, a huge question mark hangs over where Goretzka will show that unquestionably intact class at that very "level" until then. In the worst case, his personal first could even become a permanent state.

Leon Goretzka: Performance data at Bayern Munich and in the Germany team