Dortmund's Gotze out indefinitely with 'metabolic disturbances'

After missing most of February with muscular problems, Borussia Dortmund's prodigal son Mario Gotze has now been diagnosed with "metabolic disturbances," sidelining the World Cup winner for an undetermined amount of time.

The Bundesliga outfit confirmed Monday that it was "absolutely necessary" to withdraw Gotze from all team activities following an internal investigation into the cause of his recent spate of injuries.

"I'm currently undergoing treatment and will do everything in my power to be back in training and helping my team to achieve our common goals as soon as possible," said the 24-year-old.

The lack of timetable for his recovery means he's also likely to miss Germany's friendly against England on March 22, as well as the 2018 World Cup qualifier in Azerbaijan on March 26.

Gotze returned to Dortmund in the summer after failing to live up to expectations at Bayern Munich. He ditched Dortmund for Munich under acrimonious circumstances in 2013, but rejoined BVB for a reported €26-million transfer fee.

He's made just 11 league appearances since the switch, registering a single goal in the process.