Mario Gotze is hesitating on signing a contract renewal at Borussia Dortmund amid interest from Premier League heavyweights Arsenal.
German publication Bild has claimed that Mario Gotze is apprehensive about signing a contract renewal at Borussia Dortmund on his current deal that runs till 2020. The German international is also being tailed by Arsenal, who are considering a summer move for the World Cup winner.
The report iterates that Borussia Dortmund are looking to hand Gotze an extension in the summer, with only a year left on his current deal. But, the German international is willing to explore all options after having regained his form in the 2018-19 season.
Mario Gotze is perhaps one of the most clutch players in Bundesliga and has been so for a fair period of his footballing career. Opting to leave Dortmund for league rivals Bayern Munich saw him bear the brunt of the fans.
But, Gotze starred for Germany in the 2014 FIFA World Cup for Germany and while the German international was not a heavy fan favourite at Bayern Munich, he did get his hands on 7 titles during his time at the German capital. He returned to Dortmund in 2016, but was recently marred by injuries and a peculiar condition that prevented him from featuring for the club.
In the 2018-19 campaign though, Gotze became a pivotal figure for Dortmund and managed to prove his fitness, with 26 Bundesliga appearances and a return of 7 goals and as many assists. Gotze’s return to form seems to have convinced Dortmund to hand the German international an extension. But, it has also caught the attention of Arsenal.
The Gunners have lost Aaron Ramsey to Juventus on a free transfer and are also reportedly looking to move Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Mesut Ozil off the books in order to add to their summer transfer budget while also making room for potential arrivals.
Gotze has made a name for himself as a false nine over the years. But, the German international is primarily an attacking midfielder and could be a potential replacement not just for Ramsey but for any of the aforementioned stars, in particular, Ozil.
The 26-year-old also looks like he could be on the move, with the player not too keen on extending his Dortmund contract just yet. With only a year left on Gotze’s deal, Arsenal could land the 26-year-old for a fee that is unlikely to hit their transfer budget hard.
The Gunners will considerably boost their chances of landing Gotze if they manage to beat Chelsea in the Europa League final and grab the Champions League spot, which would get them on the same footballing level as Dortmund, who have already qualified for the Champions League for the 2019-20 campaign.
