German legend Lothar Matthaus has questioned Liverpool's interest in Borussia Dortmund attacker Mario Gotze.

Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is being linked to a reunion with his former protege, who has struggled since his summer return from Bayern Munich.

Matthaus believes at 24, Gotze could already be washed up.

"It may sound hard, but if Gotze does not succeed at Dortmund, he should go to China," he wrote in his column for BILD. "Götze certainly will not want to earn less.

"He cannot earn the same at Schalke 04, does not fit with Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Mönchengladbach has not enough money.

"Top teams from abroad will not be interested in him, but it is clear that for Götze something has to change. He lacks speed and that is very important in modern football."