Bayern Munich will step up their interest in Erling Haaland the longer he remains in the Bundesliga, says Ottmar Hitzfeld, with the Borussia Dortmund striker considered to be an obvious successor to Robert Lewandowski.
Those at the Allianz Arena have history when it comes to luring top talent away from domestic rivals.
Haaland will already be on their radar, as transfer talk rages around him heading towards another window, but an extended stay with BVB is being mooted for the prolific 20-year-old as he continues to weigh up his options.
What has been said?
Hitzfeld, who has spent time in charge of Bayern and Dortmund, has told Funke Mediengruppe of Haaland: "You have to consider yourself lucky to see players like that playing in the Bundesliga.
"It would be a big challenge for Haaland to leave the Bundesliga and assert himself abroad.
"But if he stays in Dortmund a little longer, I assume that he would then be of interest at Bayern again."
Hitzfeld added on the speculation surrounding a striker with 37 goals to his name this season: "I hope that Dortmund can keep their players for a long time so that there is competition.
"But you also have to wonder what happens when Lewandowski stops."
Any other business at Bayern?
Change is on the cards at the Allianz Arena, with Hansi Flick preparing to walk away from his managerial post at the end of the 2020-21 campaign.
He is being billed as a potential successor to Joachim Low with the Germany national side, with Hitzfeld seeing a man who led Bayern to treble glory in 2019-20 as an obvious choice for that role.
He said on Flick: "It would be understandable that he would now like to take the chance to become national coach.
"The door that has now opened might be closed in two or three years.
Flick will be replaced at Bayern by Julian Nagelsmann, with Hitzfeld saying the 33-year-old current RB Leipzig boss is "no risk, and Bavaria is no risk for Nagelsmann".
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