Bayern chairman hopeful Leon Goretzka will choose them over interest from Manchester United

Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinze Rummenigge has confirmed that an agreement with Schalke midfielder Leon Goretzka is on the cards who is out of contract after the end of the season. The 22-year-old has been among Schalke's best players during the course of the season and is likely to leave on a free should they fail to reach an agreement.

The chairman also added that the likes of Barcelona and Manchester United are in the race for the midfielder but Rummenigge is hopeful that the midfielder will snub advances from some of the biggest clubs in Europe and choose to stay in Germany with the Bundesliga leaders.

Schalke have offered Goretzka a new deal worth €12m a year (£10.6m, $14.4m) as they look to keep him at the Veltins Arena, but the player looks to have made up his mind regarding his future. Rummenigge revealed that Bayern have been in conversation with the midfielder who was part of Germany's Confederations winning squad in 2017 and a decision will be made in the next few days.

"We would be crazy if we did not think about signing a German international whose contract runs out (in the summer).Now it is up to the player to decide, and it would be nice if he chose Bayern in the end. You only have an agreement when you sign the contract," Rummenigge said, as quoted by the Mirror.

"All top clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United or Juventus wanted him, so it is perfectly legal and normal that the top club from Germany is interested in this player, too. The decision will be taken in a few days."

Meanwhile, Schalke sporting director Christian Heidel has revealed that they will not increase their offer and a decision will be made on the German well before the end of January. The midfielder, should he not sign a new deal, is unlikely to move in January as Schalke look to keep their hopes alive of qualifying for the Champions League.

Heidel told Funke Mediengruppe, as quoted by ESPN: "It will not be long before a decision is announced, and it will not drag out until the end of January. Schalke cannot offer any more nor do any more than we already have.

"Leon wanted to wait and see how Schalke's sporting development went. It's been six months. We are in the best possible position in the league table behind Bayern and have reached the DFB Pokal quarterfinals."