Leon Goretzka has completed his Aston Villa medical, moving the free-agent midfielder one step away from officially joining Unai Emery’s squad.
Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg says the 31-year-old is now considered a Villa player after successfully passing his checks. He is expected to sign a contract lasting between two and three years.
Villa had not announced the transfer at the time of publication. The club must still complete the contract and registration process before Goretzka becomes eligible to play.
His arrival will not require a transfer fee because his Bayern Munich contract expired earlier this summer.
Leon Goretzka medical clears major Arsenal obstacle
The completed medical removes one of the remaining hurdles before Monday’s Premier League match against Arsenal.
Villa may need to submit Goretzka’s registration by midday on Friday because the fixture falls on bank holiday Monday. The expected Leon Goretzka registration cutoff is explained here.
Emery requires another midfield option after João Gomes was sent off during the 4-0 defeat against Brighton. Amadou Onana is also unavailable, leaving Villa short of senior alternatives alongside Boubacar Kamara.
Goretzka would arrive with extensive experience. Bayern confirmed he made 312 appearances during eight seasons in Munich, winning the Champions League and seven Bundesliga titles.
Completing the signing would not guarantee Goretzka an immediate start. Emery must assess his sharpness after a summer without a club-run pre-season.
However, an announcement and registration before Friday would make him a realistic option for Villa’s first home match of the campaign.
