Former Germany midfielder Michael Ballack believes Bayern Munich will renew their interest in RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner next summer.
Bayern were among a number of clubs linked with a move for the 23-year-old during the last transfer window, though the German champions did not make a formal bid.
Bayern’s Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund, European champions Liverpool and La Liga duo Sevilla and Atletico Madrid were also rumoured to be tracking the forward.
Warner ultimately quashed that speculation, for now at least, by signing a new four-year contract tying him to Leipzig until the summer of 2023.
Ballack, though, believes Werner is likely to move on sooner rather than later, with Bayern likely to be at the front of the queue for his services.
The 42-year-old, who made 157 appearances for Bayern between 2002 and 2006, told TZ: ""He has expressed his gratitude to Leipzig with his contract extension. But I think next year a switch to Bayern could be on again.”
Speaking after putting pen-to-paper on his new deal last month Werner said he “didn’t exclude anything” when asked about the possibility of moving abroad in the future, though he was keen to stress his commitment to Leipzig in the short term.
Werner has developed into one of Germany’s most feared strikers since making his debut as a 17-year-old for Stuttgart in 2013.
He moved to Leipzig in the summer of 2016, arriving at the club ahead of their first-ever season in the Bundesliga.
That first campaign saw the young forward hit 21 goals in 31 league games to help Leipzig grab a brilliant second-placed finish behind Bayern and qualify for the Champions League.
He has maintained that form in front of goal, scoring a total of 66 in 118 appearances so far as well as hitting 10 goals in 27 appearances for the German national team.
He has begun the 2019-20 campaign with five goals in as many matches, including a hat-trick in a 3-1 Bundesliga victory at Borussia Monchengladbach on August 30.
Those goals have helped Leipzig take 10 points from their opening four league games to sit top of the early Bundesliga table.