Borussia Dortmund revealed that they would be willing to let captain Mats Hummels leave but only if the price is right. CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke believes it will come down to a decision between BVB and FC Bayern Munich.
The World Cup winning German centre-back's future at the club has been much discussed, with Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich and Manchester City said to be interested.
While Hummels' contract runs till 2017, the player himself is unsure if he wants to stay at the club, or seek a move abroad, or return to his old club Bayern Munich.
The Bavarians are said to be the frontrunners for his signature and are reportedly willing to fork out a base salary of €10 million, which would match the offer from BVB.
Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke knows that it will be difficult to retain the 27-year-old should he choose to go, but warned that the club will only let him go if any potential suitors meet their asking price.
"To forbid Hummels to leave would be small-minded," he said on the AUDI-Star-Talk show.
"We have to accept that someone playing for Dortmund for eight years and getting [close to] 28 starts to think about his situation," Watzke added.
Hummels joined Dortmund as 19-year-old in 2008. A loan was turned into a permanent contract the following year. He could now be headed back to the Allianz Arena, Watzke acknowledged.
"I believe that if he leaves us, it will be [in the] direction [of] Bayern Munich," he said. "Those personal moments that he's not done with the club yet, that his father, his mother, his brother live in Munich, and his wife is from Munich, just like he is.
"If the club isn't ready to pay a lot of money, he has a contract in Dortmund. And I am sure that he has no problem with continuing playing for Dortmund."
Hummels has repeatedly claimed that he will decide on his future soon, and Dortmund will face a fight on their hands with several other stars likes Ilkay Gundogan and Henrikh Mkhitaryan also entering the final 12 months of their contracts this summer.
But Watzke is confident that they will keep at least one of the three players.
He said: "I don't believe we'll be able to prolong all three contracts. I don't believe that all three will play here next year. It's also ruled out that all three will not play for Borussia Dortmund next year."