”Ask Klopp” – Mario Gotze comments on Liverpool move rumours

January 9, 2016
Jack Lusby

Mario Gotze has been linked with a £37 million transfer to Liverpool this January, but has suggested a move is far off at this stage.

The 23-year-old has entered the last 18 months of his contract with Bayern Munich, and with the current managerial unrest at the Bundesliga club, looks unlikely to sign a new deal.

This has led to reports linking Gotze with a move to rejoin Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool.

Gotze enjoyed a fruitful spell under Klopp at Borussia Dortmund, before making the controversial move to Munich in 2013.

Not a guaranteed selection for current manager Pep Guardiola, a move seemed on the cards for Gotze, but discussing the possibility of joining Liverpool this January, the midfielder was unsure.

“I can rule out a move to Liverpool this winter,” he explained.

“I don’t know where the rumours about Klopp and me are coming from. I have not heard anything.

“You should ask Klopp if he wants me at Liverpool.

“If he wants me, he should approach me.

“I have six nice months ahead of me. It is always annoying when you cannot play and cannot help the team.

“It is only normal that you think about things like that. But you have to look at the positives and build on those.”

Gotze’s comments suggest that a move away from the Allianz Arena could be a reality in the summer, and while he has dismissed speculation of a January switch to Merseyside, the SC Ronsberg youth product certainly left the door open for a move in the future.

This would depend on talks with Guardiola’s summer replacement Carlo Ancelotti, however, and Gotze revealed that he had spoken to his compatriot, Toni Kroos, about the Italian.

“I have spoken about Ancelotti with Kroos and he only had good things to say,” he said.

“I have had Klopp, [Joachim] Low and Guardiola as my coaches before. There could be worse coaches than those four.

“I want to become the face of Bayern and take my responsibility here.”

Ancelotti could arrive at Bayern and install Gotze as his first-choice playmaker, but at this stage it seems unlikely, given the plethora of stars in Guardiola’s squad.

A move to Liverpool would suit Gotze, where he would be reunited with a manager familiar with his talents.

This reads as something of a ‘come and get me’ plea from the midfielder, and Klopp would be wise to listen—as even at £37 million, Gotze would be a bargain signing for the Reds.