Dortmund opens talks with Bayern over Gotze deal

Borussia Dortmund has kick-started negotiations with Bayern Munich to bring Mario Gotze back to the club, according to Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

"I wouldn't say a deal has been struck, but I can confirm there have been talks with Borussia Dortmund as well as with his agent," Rummenigge told Sport1, courtesy of the Press Association. "But it's not complete yet. The clubs must first reach an agreement over a transfer fee."

Gotze initially left Dortmund - his childhood club - in 2013 for €35 million. But he failed to impress Pep Guardiola in the intervening years, serving mostly as a bit-part player even as he scored the World Cup-winning goal for Germany.

There was speculation that Gotze would head to Liverpool to reunite with former manager Jurgen Klopp, but nothing came of those reports.

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Fierce rivals on the pitch, Dortmund and Bayern have proven professional in the boardrooms: Mats Hummels returned to Munich after an eight-year stay in Dortmund, while Sebastian Rode swapped the Allianz Arena for the Westfalenstadion shortly after. Robert Lewandowski also crossed the divide on a free transfer in 2014.

Dortmund supporters turned on Gotze after he accepted a move to Bayern ahead of the 2012-13 Champions League final between the two clubs.

He joined Dortmund's youth system as a nine-year-old and graduated to the senior team, where he scored 31 goals in four seasons.