Schalke midfielder Leon Goretzka has pleaded with his club’s fans not to taunt him after agreeing a deal to join Bayern Munich. This, he says, could make it difficult for the team to achieve their targets.

After several months of speculation about his future. Schalke and Bayern Munich confirmed that Goretzka has agreed to join them when his contract expires. There were reports that Bayern would attempt to bring Goretzka to the Allianz Arena this transfer window. That not happen and the 22-year-old will remain at Schalke for the rest of the season.

The 22-year-old was linked with a host of clubs, including Manchester United, Tottenham, Arsenal, Liverpool, Juventus and Liverpool.

Goretzka pleads with Schalke fans not to taunt him after agreeing Bayern Munich deal.

Goretzka recognises that once the announcement has been made he can potentially become the target of irate Schalke fans. He has pleaded with them to take it easy on him, because it could affect the rest of the team as they battle RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund for second place.

In a statement on his official Facebook account, Goretzka wrote: “FC Schalke 04 announced at Friday’s press conference that I will leave the club on June 30.

“I know that I will disappoint you all and you will have little understanding of it. Any explanation I would make now will be very much appreciated by you.

“I don’t want to leave now, because I’m still playing the second half, and everyone who knows me just a little knows that I’m always going to give my all. I want to return Schalke to the Champions League and would like to win the DFB-Pokal in Berlin on May 19.”

Goretzka is very influential since joining Schalke’s first team in 2013 making over 100 appearances scoring 14 goals so far.

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