Goretzka on a Free? Barça Haven’T Even Called Yet

León Goretzka has emerged as a possible replacement for the injured Frenkie de Jong. He is available on a free transfer, has worked with Hansi Flick and carries a big enough name to fit perfectly into Barcelona’s summer narrative. There is only one minor issue: the club have shown no actual interest yet.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Barça are not negotiating with the 31-year-old midfielder and have not contacted his representatives. The entire story is therefore built on three facts: Goretzka is a free agent, De Jong is injured and both Goretzka and Flick are German. At Barcelona, that can apparently be enough to turn speculation into a transfer plan.

The former Bayern player has received offers from MLS and Italian clubs, but would prefer to remain in Europe. Barça are currently focused on signing a striker, so Goretzka may have to wait until they deal with one problem before officially considering another. For now, Barcelona are not holding talks. The media are kindly doing it for them.