Bayern Munich tasked the new management team with reducing the wage bill by 25% this summer. That task proved nearly impossible as highly compensated veterans like Serge Gnabry, Leon Goretzka, and Kingsley Coman refused to accept pay cuts or even transfer requests.
Gnabry and Coman have both come back to the club and earned immediate playing time. On the other hand, Goretzka has literally played one minute as an emergency center back substitute.
In a recent interview with Sport1 (via @iMiaSanMia), director of sport Max Eberl said, “I told [Leon Goretzka] clearly that it would be difficult for him. That’s our job. He’s behaving well, I really respect him as a person. Sometimes things can change. The best example is Serge Gnabry. He took on the fight and is now a regular starter.”
Goretzka is currently under contract with an €18M salary that has two years remaining. Vincent Kompany has a wealth of talent at center midfield, including Joshua Kimmich, João Palhinha, and rising star Aleksandar Pavlović.
At this point, it looks like Goretzka’s opportunity will either have to outshine his teammates on the training pitch or take advantage of injuries as the schedule starts to pack more games into a small window.
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