Southampton 'to bid £11.3m for Germany starlet Leon Goretzka'

German publication Bild report that Southampton are huge admirers of the 6ft 3in box-to-box midfielder.

However, Schalke manager Horst Heldt has already dismissed the speculation saying there were "no plans to sell Leon".

Goretza, 20, was named in Germany’s preliminary 30-man squad for the World Cup last summer, but was axed when the numbers were whittled down to 23.

He would become Saints boss Ronald Koeman's seventh recruit of the summer.

The sales of Nathaniel Clyne and Morgan Schneiderlin, coupled with the bumper TV deal, has left the south coast club in a strong position financially.

Goretzka is a great talent and an important central midfielder for Schalke, so we don’t think they will sell.

Schalke’s future is built on a young talented German midfield of Goretzka (20), Max Meyer (19), Julian Draxler (21), Leroy Sane (19) and Johannes Geis (21). Schalke will only sell Kevin-Prince Boateng.