Borussia Dortmund cannot afford Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata, sporting director Michael Zorc has told Funke Media.
BVB are still looking to fill the void Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang left in central attack when leaving for Arsenal in January. And there has been speculation that Dortmund could make a move for Morata, with some papers suggesting a swap deal with U.S. international Christian Pulisic.
"I'd still say that Morata is too expensive," sporting director Michael Zorc said, and added with a smile: "Without knowing the exact sums involved."
Last Monday, a report in German football magazine kicker suggested that BVB could be open for offers for Pulisic following the club's tour of the United States next month.
And when asked if Dortmund could consider taking a forward on loan like they did with Belgium international Michy Batshuayi, Zorc said: "Right now, I don't rule out anything. Why should we limit ourselves 70 days before the window closes?
"Right now, I have the impression that the transfer market, not only for attackers, has escaped reality a bit. High fees are demanded.
"We must not do any crazy things. Even more so because we have players in our squad who can play that position and can score a certain number of goals, like Maximilian Philipp for instance."
Dortmund finished fourth in the Bundesliga last season, and while they have qualified for the Champions League they are in the middle of a squad rebuild.
They have already signed four new players -- Frankfurt's Marius Wolf, Denmark international Thomas Delaney, and back-up keepers Marwin Hitz and Eric Oelschlagel -- and are also closing in on France under-21 defender Abdou Diallo, but Zorc played down the turnover.
"It's more of a reboot," Zorc told Reviersport on Sunday before confirming to kicker that defender Erik Durm and midfielder Gonzalo Castro could leave the club within the next week.