Borussia Dortmund's Mario Gotze has labelled the English top flight as a 'very attractive league' as the German side prepare to take on Tottenham in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Gotze has been linked with a Premier League move for some time, with reports suggesting Arsenal have been keeping tabs on the German, while more recent reports have suggested a reunion with former BVB boss Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool.
Asked by Goal and DAZN as to what he feels the main differences are between England and the Bundesliga, the World Cup winner highlighted the excitement of having so many teams that could potentially win the title each season.
“I can only judge from a Bundesliga perspective as I've only played in Germany so far,” the 26-year-old began. “So, in that sense, it's difficult to make comparisons.
“As an outsider, I have to say that the Premier League is a very attractive league. In England, there are five, six, seven big clubs and you can never be sure who will win the title in the end. It's very exciting.”
A highly-anticipated clash at Wembley on Wednesday lies in wait for the leaders of the German top flight, and Gotze is all too aware of the strength English sides pose, having lost twice to Tottenham last season.
“Tottenham are very strong and have a great project,” he said. “Mauricio Pochettino has been around for a long time, they have players of tremendous quality who have been there for a long time too – it's great to build on projects.
“We played against Spurs in the Champions League group stage last year and we lost both games. We know how important the match is for us and how good our opponents are. It will certainly be an interesting clash."
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Both sides will be without key players for the match-up, with Harry Kane and Dele Alli both out for the hosts, while Dortmund captain Marco Reus will also miss out through injury.
“Kane brings enormous quality,” Gotze added. “He is extremely important to the team. Historically, I know that such games are often decided on small margins.
“Their injuries might be a small advantage to us, but on the whole it will still be two difficult games. We need as many as possible to stay fit so that we have the best team we can. That will be decisive.
“Reus brings tremendous quality as a player and has also taken over as captain in the summer, a role he has mastered brilliantly. It's not just what he does on the pitch but what he does off it as well.
“He sees and addresses things and helps us to understand what's important and what's not important in terms of mentality. His performances on the pitch always make things easier for us.”
One star player who will make the clash is Christian Eriksen, a player whom Gotze has been compared to in the past, and the German had nothing but praise for his midfield counterpart.
“You could compare us,” he said. “The positions he takes, the way he plays, the space he sees, the goals he scores... he's an extremely important player for Tottenham.
“The continuity of his performances are clear too. I can see why his successes and his style of playing have similarities to mine.”
Spurs' Champions League clash with Dortmund kicks off at 8pm UK time (3pm US ET) on Wednesday.
