Borussia Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel gave a confusing response when asked about the future of Manchester City target Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Tuchel initially said he was "totally confident" of keeping hold of the sought-after striker at the present moment in time, but then suggested things could change as the transfer window progresses.
Dortmund have already sold three key players in Ilkay Gundogan, Mats Hummels and Henrikh Mkhitaryan this summer, and Tuchel did insist that Aubameyang’s contract, which expires in 2020, makes him likelier to stay.
City enquired about the striker, who has admitted he would like to one day join Real Madrid, earlier this summer but were told they would have to stump up £65 million.
That has helped cool their interest, but Tuchel's comments suggest Dortmund may sell if somebody were to offer big money later in the window.
"I am totally confident," Tuchel said when asked by Goal at a press conference. "We have a long-term contract, which is a completely different situation for us than it was for our other key players, like Mats, Ilkay and Mkhitaryan.
"So right now, with everything I know, and I am in contact of course with our board and sports director, he is our player, he stays our player. Auba is a main, main player for us. He’s very, very, very important, an outstanding goalscorer, a huge personality for us, so right now I would say he stays, but..."
After tailing off, Tuchel was asked if he expects the situation to change in the coming weeks: "I don’t know. I can't predict the future, but if you ask me right now, I would say he stays."
Aubameyang will play no part in Dortmund’s International Champions Cup match against City in Shenzhen, China, on Thursday.
The Gabon international has flown back to Germany to be with his partner, who is due to give birth to their second son.
It is, however, an opportunity for Tuchel to lock horns with City boss Pep Guardiola once more.
The two last met when Guardiola’s Bayern Munich beat Dortmund in the DFB-Pokal final at the end of May, and Tuchel says he will be happy to see him again.
"We played several times, I played with Mainz against him, with Dortmund against him," he added. "The last game for him as coach was the cup final against us and I look forward to meeting him again tomorrow."
- Goal