Sources: Manchester City made approach for rising young USMNT winger Mathis Albert as Niko Kovac backs teenager for bigger Borussia Dortmund role

The 17-year-old winger, who was briefly the youngest USMNT player to ever score a goal after netting against Chile, has long been seen as one of the brightest prospects in the Borussia Dortmund system. The American made his debut for the club in April, surpassing Gio Reyna to become the youngest American to play in the Bundesliga by featuring 15 days before his 17th birthday.

Albert, however, has played just once this season. He featured in the DFB Cup first-round win over HEBC Hamburg, starting and playing all 90 minutes in the 5-0 win over the lower-league side.

Throughout the season, Kovac and Dortmund have regularly stated that Albert is part of the club's first-team plans despite outside interest. Sources told GOAL in the summer that Dortmund would shut down all loan offers during the summer window.

Interest hasn't slowed, though. There are a number of major European clubs keeping an eye on Albert this season, including multiple in the Premier League. Among them is Manchester City, who made an official approach in the summer to buy the winger outright from Dortmund, GOAL can confirm. Reports from German outlet Bild said that multiple top clubs were willing to pay up to €15 million ($16.8m) to sign Albert.

Kovac, however, insists that the teenager remains a part of the club's present and future.

"[There are] no restrictions," Kovac said on Friday when asked about Albert. "[He is] a very talented young man who is already showing really good signs in training, who has already played a cup game, and who sooner or later, probably sooner, will get a lot more minutes here than perhaps half a year ago."

Albert only recently returned to Germany after an extended run with the USMNT during the international break. With his goal in the 4-2 win over Chile, Albert surpassed former Borussia Dortmund star Christian Pulisic to become the USMNT's youngest-ever goalscorer. His record was broken just days later, though, by Cavan Sullivan after the Philadelphia Union starlet's goal against Mexico.

The USMNT ultimately won all four games during the camp, defeating Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada. Of the 13 uncapped players, Albert was one of three to appear in all four games alongside Julian Hall and Brooklyn Raines.

Currently atop the league, Borussia Dortmund have yet to lose any of their first five Bundesliga matches following Friday's draw with Werder Bremen. Up next is a match in the Champions League as they visit Bodo/Glimt.