COMMENT: Premier League clubs. They're not going to let him slip away, are they? If Mario Gotze does decide to cut ties with Bayern Munich, surely someone from the English elite are going to come forward?

For the moment, only Juventus appear as a genuine destination for the 23 year-old. Indeed, Gotze talked up his admiration for Juve only last week, though was quick to add he wouldn't be agitating for a split from Bayern.

Instead, that will be driven by Volker Struth, Gotze's outspoken agent, who has already marked Bayern's card with a blast for coach Pep Guardiola.

"Of course, I would have liked that Mario had more backing in one or more situations. I am firmly convinced if Mario feels trust, it is easier for him to retrieve his incredible potential," Struth rapped a fortnight ago to Bild, also taking aim at those on the board.

"I wonder why no one at the club has realised that and defended Mario. Bayern need a figure like former president Uli Hoeness again."

If ever there was a declaration for divorce, this was it. And since Struth went public with his frustration, Gotze's situation has actually become worse. A week ago, Bayern splashed out €30 million for Douglas Costa from Shakhtar Donetsk. You couldn't find a player more similar to Gotze in Europe. If he was struggling last season to get a game, the Brazilian's arrival just made things a whole lot worse. Oh, and to top it all off, Douglas Costa was a personal transfer request from Guardiola.

"Sometimes he seems to me a bit like a youth player who recklessly gives away possession," snapped Franz Beckenbauer, Bayern's honorary president, when discussing Gotze last season.

"We can't wait for him. He needs to take responsibility.

"I think he needs to change his game a bit. Be more assertive, especially in the one-on-ones."

But Gotze is no damaged goods.

A World Cup winner, before last season's winter recess, Gotze was flying, scoring 12 goals in 22 games, which also included four assists. But something happened after the break. Guardiola started looking elsewhere and by season's end refused to trust Gotze for their biggest games. Insult was added to injury when he would be thrown on as an injury-time substitute to wind down the clock. The sort of job for a young rookie, not a player who less than 12 months ago was hitting the World Cup final winner for Germany.

"If I had to take stock, then it's like I'm relatively happy," insists Gotze, when reflecting on the season. "But I would of course like to have scored more goals, made more assists and also liked to have played one or two more games..."

At this moment, Gotze is letting Struth do the heavy lifting. Which is the intelligent move after a blow-up with Bayern fans towards the end of last season. An embrace with Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen after Bayern's 3-0 Champions League humiliation was acceptable, but the snaps of Gotze laughing and smiling at the final whistle enraged Bayern supporters and sent social media into meltdown. The reaction forced Gotze into a public explanation on Facebook.

"If you know Mario, you know that he is not arrogant," argues Germany coach Joachim Low. "He is a man who is reflective and questions himself.

"He is a football player who has an incredibly good professional attitude. He pays attention to his diet, doing his physiotherapy exercises and puts in additional workouts. He is a player who has a special gift.

"Mario is an exceptional player. But he is still young. That also means that he is not yet at the end of his development."

So if he isn't to reach his peak at Bayern, then why can't we see him in the Premier League?

In Germany, they say Gotze is comfortable in any of the attacking positions, including centrally. Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal manager, has made it no secret that he now first considers German players when shopping, before looking elsewhere.

Chuba Akpom has a real chance. But Wenger still needs that 'fox-in-the-box' type to bounce off Olivier Giroud. Gotze would appear overkill if he arrived as a midfielder, but Wenger could transform him, as he did with Robin van Persie, into an out-and-out striker.

Even Guardiola says: "Mario is a player who, when he is near the box and in the box, has great quality."

At Manchester United, there's backslapping over their deal for Bastian Schweinsteiger. But could Gotze follow the same path? Louis van Gaal, like Wenger, needs to find one - if not two - new strikers before the end of August. And if Angel di Maria is to be sold, then the versatility of Gotze would be very welcome.

Then there's the champions. If a player of Gotze's ability - and youth - becomes available, then Jose Mourinho and Michael Emenalo, the club's football director, will always ask the question. And Chelsea, with Mohamed Salah virtually gone and a cloud over Juan Cuadrado, have sent out feelers for players in the Gotze mould this summer.

For his part, Low has urged Gotze to "tough it out" at Bayern, "No. No way should he leave.

"Mario must try at Bayern to tough it out. And he can manage it, because he is an exceptional player."

But Low isn't working for Bayern and with Douglas Costa's appearance further complicating a difficult situation, Gotze's future is looking more like it lies abroad. Is the Premier League really going to let this opportunity pass it by?