Borussia Dortmund president Reinhard Rauball has said he gets tears in his eyes when he thinks about Mats Hummels rejoining Bayern Munich in the summer.
Rauball, who will stand for re-election at the club's annual general meeting next week, said defender Hummels had been one of his favourite players.
"I have a very strong personal friendship with him and if I am honest, I have a few tears in my eyes when I think that he is no longer with us," Rauball told kicker.
Hummels returned to Bayern in July after eight years with Dortmund in which he made more than 200 appearances.
He was part of their back-to-back title-winning teams in 2011 and 2012, and Rauball accepts it may be a while yet before the Bundesliga title returns to Dortmund.
"We need to be qualifying for the Champions League every year," he said. "That would completely satisfy the sporting ambitions of my next term, assuming I am re-elected."
He said he believed coach Thomas Tuchel was the right man to achieve that, praising his "exceptional work" and giving him his "unreserved backing."
"He is very creative in the development of new playing styles and he keeps on surprising you," Rauball said.