5 transfer rumours we hope come true in January

#4 Leon Goretzka (Schalke to Arsenal)

Leon Goretzka is one of the most exciting central midfielders around at the moment. The German is linked with the likes of Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Arsenal, and Liverpool.

It also has to be noted that Goretzka runs out of his contract with Schalke next summer and the player does not plan to sign a renewed deal.

When asked about his future the 22-year-old said: "I have to find out for myself what the next step should be. I have to consider a million things. I am a person who is very meticulous in such decisions. I play through all the scenarios. So I need time. There doesn’t exist a deadline, but I think we are in the final phase. The final decision will be made in January."

It is quite clear that Goretzka will be moving away or at least sign a pre-contract with a new team in January. Even though clubs can sign him for free next summer, the youngster can have an immediate impact on some sides if signed in the upcoming transfer window and one such side is Arsenal.

A move to Barcelona or Bayern Munich might sound great for the central midfielder. However if he needs constant playing time and is concerned about his development as a player (which he seems to be taking his words into consideration), a move to Arsenal will be right.

Arsenal's midfield pairing of Aaron Ramsey and Granit Xhaka is inconsistent, and manager Arsene Wenger will be looking to address this issue. Goretzka, who is defensively strong and good on the ball, could be the right midfielder for Arsenal.

About the author

Dakir is a European and Indian football journalist at Sportskeeda with an overall experience of 10 years. Holding a Master’s degree in Journalism & Mass Communication, and currently pursuing Master’s in Sports Journalism from Sheffield Hallam University, he is a seasoned football journalist who has interviewed the likes of former Liverpool star John Arne Riise, covered the entire 2022-23 Indian Super League season of the Kerala Blasters, and has delivered a seminar at an international conference held by St. Albert's College, Ernakulam.

Thanks to his extensive academic background in journalism, Dakir understands the importance of accuracy and spends a significant amount of time researching the subject. In today’s data-driven world of football, where players are perceived as machines, he prides himself amplify the voices of the people that make football the beautiful game that it is.

He started following football in 2013, and more specifically, Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool, and admires Jurgen Klopp for his untouched charisma and unmatched legacy. A perpetual underdog supporter, he is a fan of under-fire Reds forward Darwin Nunez and can’t wait for him to show the world what he truly is. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s iconic “corner taken quickly” corner assist for Divock Origi in Liverpool’s 4-0 UCL semifinal win over Barcelona left a lasting impact on him.

When not writing, Dakir enjoys indulging in his guilty pleasure - watching mass commercial movies.

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Edited by Omene Osuya