Mario Gotze has admitted that he understands the anger of Borussia Dortmund fans surrounding his summer switch to Bayern Munich.
Gotze became Pep Guardiola's first signing as Bayern boss in a £32 move, leaving a Dortmund side he joined at the age of eight.
The 21-year-old has asked Dortmund supporters to understand his decision, insisting that a move to the treble winners can only improve him as a player moving forward.
He told ZDF: "I can definitely understand their frustration. I played for Dortmund for quite a while and then joined Bayern. A lot of fans simply don't like that. I can understand their feelings.
"One should also look at it from my side, though. I want to keep on developing as a player. People should look at it from that angle, too.
"It was a combination of things that convinced me to join Bayern. There were a lot of reasons for me. The coach, the club and I wanted to try something new."
Gotze made his first appearance for Bayern in a friendly against Gyor on Sunday, scoring twice in a 4-1 win as he continues to recover from a groin injury.
Liam Power
