“Incredibly valuable for us”: reaction to Schlotterbeck coup at BVB | OneFootball

Is he leaving or staying? For months, there was great uncertainty at Borussia Dortmund. Now Nico Schlotterbeck has made his decision. The center-back has signed a contract until 2031. “We have achieved our goal – clarity by mid-April,” BVB boss Lars Ricken declared delightedly.

Schlotterbeck has been wearing the black-and-yellow shirt since 2022. That year, he left SC Freiburg for a transfer fee of 20 million euros and joined the Westphalian club. Since then, he has made 155 competitive appearances for Borussia across all competitions, scoring ten goals and setting up another 18. His role as vice-captain underlines his standing within the club and the team.

“Nico Schlotterbeck is a leader at BVB and in the national team,” Ricken praised the Bundesliga runners-up’s defensive chief on the club website. “We are absolutely convinced that Nico can continue to develop at Borussia Dortmund and become indispensable for our club,” the former professional added.

However, as things currently stand, it is unclear how long the Waiblingen native will actually remain with the Ruhr club. According to kicker, Schlotterbeck’s new contract includes a release clause worth 50 to 60 million euros that applies to top clubs.

“Deliberately took his time”

Carsten Cramer, managing director spokesman at BVB, is nevertheless hoping for a longer stay from the ball-secure and composed passing center-back. “He has great value for us, as a player and as a person,” says the 57-year-old. “And Nico, in turn, knows exactly what he has in our club. He is highly appreciated and can feel that we are building something here right now.”

Dortmund’s new sporting director Ole Book (40) praises Schlotterbeck as “one of the very best center-backs around.” Because: “His play on and off the ball, his build-up play, his tackling, combined with his presence and aggression on the pitch – all of that makes him incredibly valuable for us.” He is convinced “that together with Nico, we can achieve a lot at Borussia Dortmund.”

Photo: IMAGO

According to kicker, the 26-year-old will earn around ten million euros per year in the future. He explained that he “deliberately took his time because it is an important decision for me.” But now he is “absolutely delighted to have extended my contract with BVB.” He knows what he “has in this club” and adds: “My goal is to win titles together with Borussia Dortmund.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.