Julian Weigl is not ready to play for a club of Real Madrid's stature, Borussia Dortmund head coach Thomas Tuchel said after his side's 2-2 Champions League draw at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The 21-year-old has become key figure for Dortmund since joining the club from 1860 Munich in 2015 and his performances have not gone unnoticed elsewhere.
Both Madrid and Barcelona are believed to be keeping a close eye on the midfielder's development, but Tuchel believes it would be in his best interests to stay at Dortmund for now.
"I think Julian is not ready to play for Madrid yet," Tuchel told reporters.
"He made some mistakes in the first half that he does not make usually. He struggled a bit before the break. That is why I think he needs to take another step in his development first.
"I am pleased that he showed courage after the break and improved. He did everything well in the second half and we got back into the game. He felt at ease and was not hiding.
"We should not forget that it is only his second year here. He needs games like these to grow. It was a special match for Julian."
Weigl has a contract with the Bundesliga side until June 2019.
‘Maybe I’ll be signed by Wrexham, who knows? English football would suit me – if an offer came, I wouldn’t think twice, I’d go immediately’ Euro 2024 cult hero reveals his UK dream
‘Managing Leeds? It was an option that appeared, but it wasn’t the right timing. I decided it wasn’t a good idea to leave the club I was at mid-season’: Premier League boss admits to turning down opportunity to replace Jesse Marsch in 2023
