Leon Goretzka, a veteran midfielder for Bayern Munich, is rumoured to be up for grabs this summer due to his unclear future under Thomas Tuchel, and Manchester United is still in the running to recruit him.

What has changed since Goretzka joined Manchester United?

The Red Devils and rival Premier League team West Ham United are still vying for the 28-year-old’s services, according to Sky Sports Germany writer Florian Plettenberg. The German international has recently plummeted down the Allianz Arena’s hierarchy.

The transfer insider wrote on Twitter, “ManUtd never lost their concentration on Leon Goretzka! Recognise that the 28-year-old is still on the club’s list. #MUFC. Goretzka wanted to give it his all, but the previous ten days have made it quite evident that he won’t be a starter for Tuchel for the time being. With Kimmich/Laimer, Tuchel is making plans and wants a new “holding six” on top. a challenging scenario.

“ManUtd & Goretzka, match to follow! Still a target of want for West Ham.

This follows a previous report that said the Bundesliga club had assessed the former Schalke player to be “expendable,” with Tuchel and company allegedly eager to sell if they were to accept a proposal of about €50 million (£43 million).

Leon Goretzka: How good is he?

It is understandable why Erik ten Hag, despite having already finalised a deal for England international Mason Mount, is looking to strengthen his midfield ranks even further over the coming weeks given the possibility that players like Fred, Scott McTominay, and Donny van de Beek will all be on their way this summer.

Mount, who joined United from Chelsea wearing the coveted number seven jersey, seems destined to play a significant role for the Old Trafford team next season. Ten Hag has praised the “dynamism” that the 24-year-old can provide to the team in his midfield position.

On the surface, it would seem that the former Derby County loanee is likely to play alongside Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes in a midfield triad, with those latter two occupying more defensive and advanced starting positions, respectively.

Goretzka’s inclusion, however, may be detrimental to Mount’s chances of securing the final spot in the centre of the park. Former manager Julian Nagelsmann once referred to the Bayern player as “one of the best box-to-box players in Europe” because of his “incredible goal threat” and “ability to bomb forward.”

In contrast to Goretzka, who has lined up alongside Joshua Kimmich in a midfield pivot for the previous several seasons, United’s new player has typically been used in a number 10 position or on the flanks in recent years for both club and country.

The fact that the £297k-per-week gem ranks in the top 4% among players in his position in Europe’s top five leagues for assists and in the top 13% for non-penalty goals, while Mount ranks only in the top 18% and top 26%, respectively, for those two metrics, demonstrates his skill in that role.

The 6 foot 2 Goretzka, dubbed a “beast” by Apple’s Cristian Nyari, may be able to provide more on defence as well. He ranks in the top 21% for interceptions and the top 9% for aerial duels won, both of which are far above Mount’s performance over the past 365 days (bottom 10% and bottom 29%, respectively).

The Englishman’s long-term future at the Theatre of Dreams may lie in a more attacking role in the forward line; Goretzka, on the other hand, may be a better fit to partner Casemiro next season due to his all-around strengths. This is not to say that the latter man should already be dropped.