Overview
- Aston Villa signed Leon Goretzka on a free two‑year deal with an option for a third year after his departure from Bayern Munich.
- He missed pre‑season and then suffered left‑knee irritation, which delayed his first appearance for the club.
- Unai Emery confirmed Goretzka has returned to group training but is not yet match fit and the club’s medical staff are controlling his workload.
- If his training progresses, Villa may include him in the squad for fixtures next week, though any involvement will be phased rather than a full restart.
- Goretzka brings winning experience, aerial strength and box‑to‑box qualities that could help cover the long‑term absence of Amadou Onana and the loss of other senior midfielders, but his impact depends on careful minutes management.