RB Leipzig hope 19-year-old Dayot Upamecano will stay with them despite being linked with Barcelona, Real Madrid and Manchester United.
Upamecano joined Leipzig on a four-and-a-half-year deal from sister club RB Salzburg in January, and the France under-21 centre-back has started 15 of the club’s 17 competitive matches this season.
Spiegel, citing details from Football Leaks, have reported that a clause in the defender’s contract allowed him to leave for €100 million.
The club have not denied the report but, speaking to Leipziger Volkszeitung, director Ralf Rangnick said he hoped Upamecano would stay for a few more seasons.
“Release clause or not, that’s secondary,” he said. “If a big club shows him €10m to €12m [in wages] and the player wants to leave, we’d need to sit down. We don’t want to and can’t pay such sums.
“But I have the big hope with Dayot that he will remain here for a few more years. He, his agent and his parents have made good and right calls until now.”
Asked whether there could be a move to Real Madrid or Barcelona in the near future, Rangnick said: “He plays for us, and really well.
“Two years ago, I said that Dayot, some day, can play for any top club. He’s got the pace, he’s cool and he’s a great footballer.”
Meanwhile, Rangnick told the paper that Germany international Timo Werner “has no clause” in his contract.
The prolific attacker is under contract at Leipzig until 2020.
Stephan Uersfeld is the Germany correspondent for ESPN FC. Follow him on Twitter @uersfeld.