Stuttgart have admitted that the excellent form of striker Mario Gomez means he is unlikely to see out the remaining four years of his contract.

Gomez, the Bundesliga champions' player of the year last season, took his tally for the current campaign to 14 league goals after scoring a hat-trick in Saturday's 6-3 win over Werder Bremen.

"It's unrealistic to think that Mario will stay to the end of his contract in 2012," Stuttgart sporting director Horst Heldt was quoted as saying in the German media.

"We're not so naive as to think he's going to play his whole career in Stuttgart, although obviously we want to keep him for as long as possible."

Kicker magazine reported on Monday that Milan, Fiorentina and Juventus were all interested in signing Gomez.

The 22-year-old striker is certain to be named in the Germany squad for Euro 2008. He has scored four goals in just eight internationals so far.

Reuters