Mario Gotze has been advised that he should look at joining a club like Everton or West Ham and that he should give up with posting on social media in order to help focus on salvaging his career.
The Borussia Dortmund star has been called out by Michael Rummenigge, who himself played for the Bundesliga side and Bayern Munich in the past, with the 56-year-old questioning his off-field attitude.
Gotze, who memorably scored for Germany in their 2014 World Cup final triumph, re-joined Dortmund from Bayern in 2016 but has struggled to reach his full potential, owing to both injuries and a lack of form.
Speaking in his weekly column in Sportbuzzer, Rummenigge, who won three titles with Bayern during his playing days, gave his opinion on Gotze and offered some advice for him going forward.
He wrote: "When I give lectures, I always show the audience one scene at the end - Mario Gotze's goal in the 2014 World Cup final. I always see a smile on the faces and I enjoy it, too.
"At the same time, I always feel a little sad. I wonder what has happened since then. What happened to this outstanding soccer player who could do everything? I can't find answers to these questions. Probably only Mario Gotze himself can find them.
"The crux of the matter was his move to Bayern. When he went to Munich in the summer of 2013, his development was not yet complete. Even after returning to Dortmund, he never really got back to his best there.
"He has to change some things. He lost his speed and should change his game, be more of a playmaker. He is no striker.
"He should leave all this social media crap behind and concentrate solely on sport too. Sometimes, when I see him on Instagram, I wonder if he's still a footballer or a show act."
Gotze is set to leave Dortmund in the summer, with his contract expiring at the end of the 2019-20 campaign, and Rummenigge believes that a switch to the Premier League could be a good decision for his career.
He added: "I'm thinking [he could join] clubs like Everton or West Ham or some Italian middle-of-the-table club. In the Bundesliga, he could fit with Borussia Monchengladbach or Leverkusen. I hope that he shakes off the pressure and finds his way although, right now, I have my doubts."