Mario Gotze has been linked with a move to West Ham (Getty Images)
According to Michael Rummenigge, Borussia Dortmund attacker Mario Gotze should consider joining a club like West Ham when his contract expires this summer. (h/t The Evening Standard)
Mario Gotze, 27, rejoined Borussia Dortmund in 2016 after a three-year spell at rivals Bayern Munich. His stock at Borussia Dortmund has fallen and he has often had to settle for a place on the, bench with the likes of Jadon Sancho, Thorgan Hazard and Julian Brandt ahead of him.
The attacking midfielder has played 13 times in the Bundesliga this season, scoring three goals. The 2014 German World Cup winner will become a free agent at the end of the current campaign and could now leave Signal Iduna Park for the second time.
With Gotze potentially set to be available on a free transfer this summer, should West Ham listen to Michael Rummenigge and snap him up? Without any second thoughts, West Ham must go for Gotze in the summer.
The Hammers have been very poor this season and currently sit 16th in the table. They have won just once in their last five league games. Truly, the East London outfit are in real threat of getting relegated, with David Moyes having struggled to churn out positive results.
West Ham have struggled for goals despite signing Sebastien Haller from Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer. Haller has managed just 7 goals in 27 league games, failing to live up to the high expectations of the London Stadium faithful. Other forwards like Andriy Yarmolenko, Robert Snodgrass, Michail Antonio and Felipe Anderson have not been at their best either.
Summer signing from FC Basel, Albian Ajeti has proven to be a disastrous acquisition as he is yet to open his account for the Londoners. Winter signing Jarrod Bowen has forced his way into the starting XI and looks to be the only bright spark in the squad.
Thus, to strengthen their attack and add quality depth to the squad, the manager should make a move for a forward in the summer and Mario Gotze would be a viable option for the Hammers.
Gotze has failed to unlock his true potential since scoring the winning goal for Germany in the 2014 World Cup final. He struggled to make an impression with Bayern Munich and has not pulled up trees since rejoining Dortmund four years ago.
The German playmaker has suffered some serious injuries over the last few years, with the latest being a rare metabolic illness in 2017 which saw him on the sidelines for 129 days at Dortmund.
Now, fully fit but bereft of regular game time, Gotze can do a good job for West Ham. The 27-year-old is a versatile attacker capable of playing anywhere through the front-line, which should make him such a resourceful option to have in the squad for Moyes.
He is a highly experienced player who has racked up 45 goals and 61 assists in 229 Bundesliga appearances. Plus, the attacker has a good record with his national team – 17 goals in 63 appearances.
At the age of 27, Gotze has entered the prime stages and must leave Dortmund to get his career back on track. A move to West Ham could be ideal for him and in return, Moyes shall get a top attacker for absolutely free.