Dortmund would be interested in bringing Mario Gotze back, says general manager

26 April 2016 09:23

Borussia Dortmund's general manager Hans-Joachim Watzke says his club would be interested in bringing Mario Gotze back from Bayern Munich, if the midfielder were to be put on the market.

Gotze joined Bayern from Dortmund in a controversial move in 2013 when the current Bundesliga leaders activated a release clause in the player's contract.

The 23-year-old has struggled to make the expected impact in Bavaria, however, and he has spent much of the current season as a back-up in Pep Guardiola's side, raising suggestions he may be sold in the summer.

If that were to be the case then Watzke says Dortmund would think about making a move, although he added that he did not want to fuel speculation by talking about a player who is under contract at another club.

"If he were to come onto the market, however, and if we were to receive a signal that he would be interested in coming back to us, then we would discuss it - of course we would," Watzke told Sky Sport Deutschland.

"We have the utmost respect for him, but we would also have to discuss whether it makes sense for us from a sporting point of view.

"Everything has changed since he left us."

Gotze starred for Dortmund in their 2011/12 title-winning campaign and was a key player in the 2012/13 season with 10 goals in 28 appearances before injury forced him to miss the end of the season, including the Champions League final against Bayern.

This season, Germany's World Cup-winning goalscorer has found the back of the net only once in 12 Bundesliga appearances.

Source: PA