Ciro Immobile has claimed that he represents the future for Borussia Dortmund ahead of his first Bundesliga game since moving to the club in the summer.

Dortmund start the league season by hosting Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday, and Immobile insists that he does not feel the pressure of replacing Robert Lewandowski, who signed for Bayern Munich on a free transfer this summer following a successful four-year spell under Jurgen Klopp.

"Lewandowski's a great striker and a great goalscorer, but I'll just be trying to give my best," the Italian told members of the media. "He belongs to the past. I'm the present, and the future."

Italian international Immobile switched to Dortmund from Torino in June.