Dortmund Calm Over Future of United and Liverpool Target Marco Reus Despite Contract Stalemate

Borussia Dortmund have reiterated their desire to keep Marco Reus out of the clutches of Manchester United, Liverpool and Barcelona while dismissing a possible bid to bring Shinji Kagawa back to the club.

Reports suggesting Reus recently turned down an offer of a new contract at the Westfalenstadion have sparked fresh speculation over a possible exit.

The 25-year-old has a release clause of €35m (£29.5m) which will stay in effect until the summer of 2015, but Dortmund's attempt to remove the clause ahead of schedule through their offer of a new deal has so far fallen on deaf ears.

Such developments in Germany have reportedly reignited interest emanating from Old Trafford and the Nou Camp while Liverpool are also understood to be monitoring the situation.

But despite the club's inability to secure the midfielder's future, Dortmund CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge maintains the player will be going nowhere in the coming weeks.

"In the summer nothing would happen anyway," Watzke said in an interview with Kicker magazine. "We have said this a thousand times. Marco will play next season for Borussia Dortmund and nowhere else in the world.

"We want to work long term with Marco. He has a unique opportunity with us to acquire a status like Uwe Seeler at Hamburg or Franz Beckenbauer at Bayern Munich. He can be a legend."

Watzke also believes the club made Reus a very fair offer in their attempts to secure his long term future but admitted there are no assurances over the midfielder's decision. "We believe that we gave him a good overall package. We tried to tie him to BVB in the long-term. Whether we succeed, only time will tell."

Reus recently returned to training after missing Germany's World Cup triumph with an ankle ligament injury.

United have also been heavily linked with Reus' teammate Mats Hummels throughout the summer. Given Dortmund's determination to hold onto the centre half, who is likely to be named their new club captain following Sebastian Khel's decision to relinquish the armband, reports have suggested Louis van Gaal will attempt to entice the Bundesliga club into doing business by offering Shinji Kagawa as part of the deal.

While the former Dortmund schemer is held in high regard by manager Jurgen Klopp, the club insist their transfer business is finished after making four additions this summer.

"There is absolutely nothing in this whole thing," Watzke told Bild. "Our squad building is, more or less, done."