Former Germany international Michael Rummenigge has identified Premier League clubs Everton and West Ham United as ideal destinations for Borussia Dortmund midfielder Mario Gotze.
Gotze's contract at Dortmund expires this summer and it looks increasingly likely that he will be allowed to leave on a free transfer, just six years after becoming the golden boy of German football by scoring the winning goal in the World Cup final.
The 27-year-old has made just five Bundesliga starts this season having fallen down the Dortmund pecking order due to a mixture of form and fitness, and Rummenigge believes that he will benefit from a move away from the Westfalenstadion.
"I'm thinking [he could join] clubs like Everton or West Ham or some Italian middle-of-the-table club. In the Bundesliga, he could fit with Borussia Monchengladbach or Leverkusen. I hope that he shakes off the pressure and finds his way although, right now, I have my doubts," he told Sportbuzzer.
"When I give lectures, I always show the audience one scene at the end - Mario Gotze's goal in the 2014 World Cup final. I always see a smile on the faces and I enjoy it, too. At the same time, I always feel a little sad. I wonder what has happened since then. What happened to this outstanding soccer player who could do everything?
"I can't find answers to these questions. Probably only Mario Gotze himself can find them. The crux of the matter was his move to Bayern. When he went to Munich in the summer of 2013, his development was not yet complete. Even after returning to Dortmund, he never really got back to his best there. He has to change some things. He lost his speed and should change his game, be more of a playmaker. He is no striker."
Gotze and Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti briefly worked together at Bayern Munich in 2016, but Gotze rejoined Dortmund less than a month after the Italian's arrival at the Allianz Arena.
Barney Corkhill
