Mario Gotze could be set for a second spell at Bayern Munich after the German giants "made contact" with their former star.
The 28-year-old is currently without a club after Borussia Dortmund decided not to extend his contract at the end of last season.
Bayern boss Hansi Flick, meanwhile, wants new arrivals after Thiago Alcantara, Philippe Coutinho, Ivan Perisic and Alvaro Odriozola all left the 2019/20 UEFA Champions League winners, and with Javi Martinez expected to depart soon too.
As a consequence, Flick has contacted Gotze over the phone regarding a potential transfer, Sport Bild has claimed.
The former Bayern star, who played for the Bavarians between 2013 and 2016, would reportedly be ready to accept a massive wage cut, in comparison to his former salary, to secure the move.
However, chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic are yet to be convinced.
They fear Flick and his coaching team could put themselves under a lot of pressure and weekly media scrutiny by taking the 2014 FIFA World Cup winner back to the Allianz Arena.
Gotze only played a bit-part role for BVB in the 2019/20 campaign, starting only six games across all competitions, but worked with Flick during Germany's World Cup triumph in Brazil, when the current Bayern boss was Joachim Low's assistant.
It is believed Flick is confident he can get the best out of the goalscorer of Die Mannschaft's winning strike in the 2014 World Cup final, having done similar with the likes of Thomas Muller and Jerome Boateng.
