Free agent Goretzka opens Liverpool transfer door Klopp could never unlock

Leon Goretzka is available on a free transfer after his contract with Bayern Munich expired on Tuesday, reviving Liverpool’s long-standing interest in a player Jurgen Klopp tried and failed to sign seven years ago.

The 31-year-old brought an eight-year stint at the Allianz Arena to a close having won 17 major honours, including six Bundesliga titles and one Champions League trophy. His departure comes days after Germany’s round-of-32 elimination from the 2026 World Cup.

Klopp first pursued Goretzka in 2018, when the midfielder was leaving Schalke as a free agent. The then-Liverpool manager had tracked Goretzka closely during his own time at Borussia Dortmund, but Bayern ultimately won the race. Goretzka later acknowledged that a move to Merseyside had been a genuine consideration.

“They were a consideration, of course,” Goretzka told The Athletic in 2020. “They’re a great club, and their development since Kloppo came has been amazing. We’re all a little proud of him winning the title. But I took a long time making my decision, and I was 100 per cent sure that Bayern was the right move for me.”

Liverpool are now managed by Andoni Iraola, who has already secured the signing of Spain international Victor Munoz this summer as he looks to reshape the squad’s midfield. Goretzka, with his experience at the highest level of European football, would represent a different profile — a proven, physical box-to-box operator now entering the final chapter of his career.

Separately, Klopp’s name has surfaced in connection with the Germany national team job. Reports suggest the former Liverpool boss is open to succeeding Julian Nagelsmann, whose position has come under scrutiny following the World Cup exit, though any arrangement would require significant compromise from the German FA given Klopp’s current role as Head of Global Soccer at Red Bull.