Mario Gotze is too nice to survive the "pool of sharks" at Bayern Munich, according to former defender Klaus Augenthaler.
The 23-year-old has struggled to find consistent form at the Allianz Arena ever since leaving Borussia Dortmund in a €37million deal in 2013.
Gotze missed much of the first half of the season with a serious muscle injury and has been kept on the fringes of the first team by head coach Pep Guardiola ever since, prompting speculation linking him with a move at the end of the season.
And Augenthaler, who won seven Bundesliga titles with Bayern, believes Gotze has failed to develop in a ruthless environment in Munich.
"To be honest, there's no developement of Mario Gotze at Bayern Munich," he told Omnisport. "At Dortmund he had a good development. Perhaps they [Bayern and Gotze] don't fit.
"Perhaps Mario is too decent because the squad of Bayern Munich is like a pool full of sharks. Perhaps he's too nice for that.
"I don't know if there has already been a conversation between him and new boss Carlo Ancelotti and his plans. Apart from that, it's time to react, because Mario runs the risk of staying the eternal talent. But he's a great footballer."
Gotze has been linked with a reunion with former Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, while a potential swap deal involving BVB captain Mats Hummels has also been suggested.
The Germany international has made 20 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring four times.
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