Football
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Marco Reus wants to stay - BVB CEO

Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke insists Marco Reus wants to stay at the club despite his agent confirming several top clubs are making moves to sign him.

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Reus, who returned to Dortmund from Borussia Monchengladbach in 2012 after coming through the BVB youth ranks, has been linked several leading European clubs this summer.

Reus has a contract until 2017, but Bild has reported that Dortmund are seeking to offer the Germany international improved terms as his current deal contains a release clause of 35 million euros that can be activated next summer.

The player's agent, Dirk Hebel, told the tabloid that there has been interest from several clubs but, for now, Reus is just concentrating on recovering from the injury that ended his World Cup hopes.

"Marco would improve any of Europe's top clubs so it is only normal that many of these clubs are making moves for him," Hebel said. "However, all he would like right now is to get completely fit again and return to action even stronger than before. Everything else is currently on the backburner."

Bayern Munich are among the clubs reported to be interested, and the German champions' chief executive, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, did little to calm that speculation in Welt am Sonntag at the weekend.

"We know that Marco Reus' get-out clause is only valid from 2015 -- only then may he leave the club," Rummenigge said.

Rummenigge denied that Bayern had vowed not to poach any more players from BVB following the Mario Gotze and Robert Lewandowski deals and, asked whether he would have reservations about buying from their rivals again, he said: "I have made a habit of no longer thinking a year in advance, of what we would need in 2015, where we would need to act.

"I think, however, that it will be difficult for Borussia Dortmund to buy out Reus' clause. The player has had a lot of enquiries from top European clubs, independent of Bayern Munich."

Watzke responded to Rummenigge's remarks in Bild, saying: "I don't know what motivates him to show so much concern for Dortmund."

Speaking to Goal.com, Watzke stressed that -- in any case -- the 25-year-old was happy to remain at the Westfalenstadion, as Jurgen Klopp had already indicated.

"Marco is a boy from Dortmund," Watzke said. "His feet are on the ground and his heart is in the right place. Despite his success, he decided himself to stay.

"We hope that he becomes an icon in his hometown and that he can look back on many unforgettable moments and titles here at the end of his career. He is a world-class player. He is quick, a real goal-threat and possesses great skills. Plus Marco is a leader."

ESPN FC correspondent Ben Gladwell contributed to this report.

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