Mario Gotze Set to Leave Borussia Dortmund in the Summer as Contract Winds Down
By Ali Rampling
Mario Gotze is poised to bring his second spell at Borussia Dortmund to an end in the summer after rejecting a new contract.
Gotze has a long affinity with Dortmund, having risen through the ranks at the German outfit, before re-signing for the club in 2016 following a three year spell with Bayern Munich.
The midfielder became the most expensive German player of all time when Bayern forked out €37 to prise him away from Dortmund in 2013, but his second departure from the club will not see Dortmund pocket a penny.
According to German news outlet Bild, Gotze is to bring his time at Dortmund to a 'tragic' end, after rejecting a new contract with a reduced wage packet.
The report states that both parties have decided they will not stay together, with Gotze not interested in seeing his salary slashed by 20%.
The new offer would see the 27-year-old's earnings drop for £9m per year to £7.2m.
His contract expires on 30 June, and as a result, Gotze will be a free agent in the summer.
The 2014 World Cup winner has fallen out of favour this season, with injury problems hindering his playing time.
Thorgan Hazard, Marco Reus, Julian Brandt and Jason Sancho are all above him in the pecking order, meaning Gotze has featured just 13 times in the Bundesliga this season, scoring three goals.
Due to the coronavirus, this could mean that Gotze has played his final game for Dortmund.
The Bundesliga is currently suspended until 2 April, but should the situation continue to manifest, the suspension could run beyond Gotze's Dortmund contract. FIFA are due to meet to discuss how to resolve issues that the coronavirus has presented, including contracts and the football calendar.
Football may get underway once more over the coming months, but could see games played behind closed doors.
Dortmund fans may therefore not get a chance to say goodbye to Gotze, who has made over 200 appearances for the club, winning the Bundesliga on two occasions.
The midfielder has been linked with a move to Hertha Berlin and Inter, although the Italian side have reportedly cooled their interest in recent weeks.