Bayern Munich Transfer News: Hasan Salihamidzic Confirms Leon Goretzka Interest

Bayern Munich sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic has confirmed the club are interested in signing Schalke 04 midfielder Leon Goretzka.

The Germany international is out of contract at the end of the season and his future has become a major story in recent weeks.

Bayern are among a number of clubs that have been linked with the 22-year-old, and, speaking on Wednesday, Salihamidzic insisted they want to get him on board:

According to Sport Bild, Goretzka is set to sign a contract with Bayern in January:

The confirmed interest comes a day after Bayern manager Jupp Heynckes discussed the player, insisting Barcelona are keen on him, too.

"You'll have to wait and see," he said when asked about interest in Goretzka, per Adam Shergold of MailOnline. "If I read it correctly, his manager [Jorg] Neubauer said that they have not yet decided. The Spaniards are still there in the race."

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As noted by Shergold, Premier League giants Manchester United and Liverpool have also been touted as possible suitors, as well as Italian champions Juventus.

German football journalist Raphael Honigstein can see why Goretzka may have opted for Bayern and believes the deal may have knock-on effects for other members of the squad:

It's rare to see a footballer of such pedigree potentially available on a free transfer, and for Schalke—who have helped nurture the midfielder—losing him for nothing would be a significant blow.

Goretzka has so many different attributes to his game. Over the past couple of seasons, he's put his skills together to become one of the most exciting talents in the Bundesliga. The midfielder has been a driving force for Schalke, offering defensive tenacity, energy and intelligence in the final third.

Given he's an exciting German talent, Bayern's interest comes as no surprise. Fox Sports' Keith Costigan believes he would be a signing that will align well with the club's current mantras:

This is an exciting time for German football, as a number of prospects have emerged in recent years. Bayern have plenty of them already, with Joshua Kimmich and Niklas Sule excelling.

Goretzka has the potential to be part of that core for many years, and while there may be interest from the Premier League, La Liga and Serie A, to play for Bayern must represent an appealing prospect. Christopher West of Copa90 US wouldn't be surprised to see him head to Bavaria:

If Arturo Vidal were to depart in the summer, there would be a natural opening for Goretzka in the side, and he would bring a box-to-box presence alongside the likes of Sebastian Rudy, Javi Martinez, Corentin Tolisso and Thiago Alcantara.

Still, with so many teams interested that can tempt Goretzka with trophy challenges and lucrative contracts, it would be no shock to see a twist in this saga yet. If Bayern can win this transfer tussle, even for a club of their magnitude, it would be a coup.