Aston Villa have confirmed the signing of Germany international Leon Goretzka on a free transfer. The 31-year-old midfielder arrives after eight years and 312 appearances at Bayern Munich, where he scored 51 goals and won seven Bundesliga titles and the Champions League.
Goretzka said he was "really happy" to join Villa after positive talks with manager Unai Emery. "I had a good feeling from the first conversation with the coach," the player stated. "I want to help the team to achieve their goals and to bring my experience that I have from my whole career." He also highlighted the appeal of the Premier League's schedule, noting the frequency of "big games every few days".
Midfield reinforcement
The move addresses a key area for Villa, who lost their opening Premier League fixture 4-0 at Brighton. The club's midfield has been depleted by the long-term knee injury to Amadou Onana, sustained with Belgium at the World Cup, which will keep him out until next year. Goretzka's arrival provides an experienced option in the centre of the park, though he faces competition from recent signing Johan Manzambi, a 20-year-old Swiss midfielder.
Goretzka's final season at Bayern saw him used primarily as a substitute by manager Vincent Kompany, a pattern that continued with Germany at the World Cup where he totalled 96 minutes across three appearances. His contract in Munich expired in July, making him a free agent. He rejected a loan move to Galatasaray in 2024 and saw a potential switch to AC Milan fall through this summer before agreeing terms with Villa.
A decorated career
During his time in Germany, Goretzka established himself as a versatile box-to-box midfielder, occasionally deployed as an emergency centre-back or number 10. He earned 73 caps for Germany and was part of their Nations League finals squad in 2025. Injuries, however, have been a recurring theme, including a hamstring issue that affected his participation at Euro 2021.
The signing concludes a busy summer of ins and outs at Villa Park. The club has seen several high-profile departures, including defender Ezri Konsa's £51m move to Arsenal, forward Morgan Rogers joining Chelsea for £117m, and midfielder Youri Tielemans moving to Manchester United. The future of striker Ollie Watkins also remains uncertain amid interest from Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal.
Goretzka will now compete for a place in Unai Emery's starting lineup as Villa look to improve on their early-season form. Fans can track the team's progress and upcoming matches on the club's fixtures page, while the full squad list shows the midfield options now available to the manager. The German midfielder is expected to join first-team training immediately.
