Michael Ballack says Borussia Dortmund are the best equipped club to bring the best out of Mario Gotze, afterthe former Germany captain spoke toOmnisport about Gotze's return to his old stomping ground.
Gotze, 24, completed a £18.7m summer move back to the Westfalonstadion after three years away at Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich.
Thanks for the warm welcome. pic.twitter.com/KFbMi4kEYy
And Ballack, who enjoyed a glittering career with the reigning German champions himself, believes the switch back to Dortmund will see Gotze rediscoverhis best form.
He said: "I can't judge that move, just like most of us can't. He grew up in Dortmund and he is for sure one of the most gifted players we (Germany) have at the moment.
"There a few players like him who know what to do in every situation, just like he does.
"If he is able to perform on his highest level there are few others who are able to always make the right move like he does. But he has to feel good and he has to bring it.
"That he was not able to do so in the recent past, neither at Bayern nor the national team, is probably for many different reasons.
"Maybe it was trust, there were a lot of speculations, but I think Dortmund knows best how to treat him. Three years have passed, he has developed, his personality changed.
"But I think Dortmund knows how to handle the situation. If it is the best option for him to already return to Dortmund, I don't know. But he made the step and we have to accept that.
"It is a top club, and he has to give us all the remaining answers on the pitch."
Gotze won two leaguetitles and a domestic cupduring his first spell with Dortmund before a July 2013 transfer to Munich, withthe midfielder winning a further seven trophies at the Allianz Arena, although hestruggled for regular game time under former boss Pep Guardiola.