Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has said Bayern Munich "have big plans" for Joshua Kimmich, amid reports that Manchester City are interested in signing the Germany international.
Kimmich, 22, had spoken of his unhappiness at a lack of regular football this season, but Rummenigge believes he will be retiring captain Philipp Lahm's natural successor at the club.
"We have big plans for Kimmich in the future," Rummenigge told Sky Deutschland.
"It's obvious that he will be Philipp Lahm's successor at the club. From next season, at least, he has definite playing minutes. That's Carlo [Ancelotti]'s plan."
Kimmich made 36 appearances in his debut season under Pep Guardiola after joining the German champions for €7.5 million from Stuttgart in 2015. However, he has seen his playing time drastically reduced this campaign under Ancelotti, completing a full 90 minutes only twice since October.
An unused substitute at the weekend in the Bundesliga leaders' 3-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt, Kimmich vowed to fight for his Bayern place amid reports linking him with his former boss Guardiola at Manchester City.
"I'm not pleased about this," he told reporters. "That's not my goal, I have to change that."
And despite not selecting Kimmich as often as his predecessor, Ancelotti has backed "Kimmich to become the new Lahm" and follow in the footsteps of Germany's 2014 World Cup-winning captain.
"Kimmich has enough quality to play in many different positions, not just in midfield. He also has a strong personality and a strong character," Ancelotti said last month. "I love players with such great professionalism like he has."