End of an Era: Leon Goretzka to Leave Bayern Munich After Contract Expiry
FC Bayern Munich have officially confirmed that midfielder Leon Goretzka will leave the club at the end of the 2025/26 season when his current contract expires, ending an eight-year spell that has seen him lift multiple major trophies with the Bavarian giants.
Sporting director Christoph Freund made the announcement, stressing that the 29-year-old Germany international will remain with the squad for the remainder of the campaign. “Leon Goretzka will leave FC Bayern in the summer as a free agent, not now,” Freund said. “Leon’s time at FC Bayern will be over in the summer. He will go another way after eight successful years. We’ll fight together in the coming months to achieve big things.”
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The statement ends months of speculation about Goretzka’s future and rules out any departure during the current January transfer window. Both the club and the player are now focused on Bayern’s objectives for the second half of the season, including challenges in the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, and UEFA Champions League.
Goretzka arrived at Bayern Munich in the summer of 2018 on a free transfer from Schalke 04, signing a four-year deal that was later extended to 2026. His move from Gelsenkirchen to Munich marked one of the most high-profile Bosman transfers in recent German football history and underlined Bayern’s ability to attract top domestic talent without paying a fee.
Since then, he has been a central figure in one of the most dominant periods in the club’s long history. Goretzka contributed to five consecutive Bundesliga titles between 2018 and 2023, the 2020 UEFA Champions League triumph in Lisbon, two DFB-Pokal victories, and a host of other domestic and international honours. His powerful running, technical quality, and goal-scoring ability from midfield made him a cornerstone of the teams managed by Niko Kovač, Hansi Flick, Julian Nagelsmann, Thomas Tuchel, and now Vincent Kompany.
Founded in 1900, FC Bayern Munich remain Germany’s most successful club, with a record 33 Bundesliga titles, 20 DFB-Pokal wins, and six European Cups/Champions Leagues. The period following the arrival of Goretzka coincided with sustained domestic dominance and the club’s second Champions League triumph in seven years, achieved with the treble in the 2019/20 season under Hansi Flick.
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In recent seasons, increased competition in midfield—from established stars like Joshua Kimmich to new arrivals such as João Palhinha and Aleksandar Pavlović—has reduced Goretzka’s starting appearances. Yet the Bochum-born player has retained an important leadership role in the dressing room and continues to be valued for his experience at both club and international level.
With the confirmation now public, Goretzka will become one of the most sought-after free agents in European football this summer. Bayern, meanwhile, are expected to turn their attention to potential replacements as they plan for the post-Goretzka era while aiming to add more silverware before his departure.