Borussia Dortmund are lining up Nuremberg's Ilkay Gundogan as a replacement for Nuri Sahin, who they expect to lose this summer. Sahin is reported to be wanted by both Barcelona and Real Madrid and, although no offer has yet been received, Dortmund are resigned to losing him.
"If Nuri has an offer from Real Madrid or Barcelona, then he obviously has every right to talk to us about it," said Dortmund's general manager Hans-Joachim Watzke to the Bild am Sonntag newspaper. "Then we would sit down and discuss it. We have already tried to extend his contract, but we did not manage it."
With Sahin set to leave, Dortmund have wasted no time in identifying a replacement in Gundogan. "We would love to sign him as long as the overall package is right, which means that we can agree financially both with him and Nuremberg," added Watzke.
"If Ilkay Gundogan wants to take the next step in his sporting development, then he would be coming to the right place here."