Real Madrid chief scout monitoring the progress of Bundesliga defensive duo | OneFootball

It is no secret that Real Madrid will be in the market for defensive reinforcements for the summer of 2026.

The club are bracing themselves for life without Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba, while Eder Militao has struggled with injuries, thereby accentuating the need for a new centre-back.

Real Madrid have been linked with moves for the likes of Ibrahima Konate, Dayot Upamecano and Marc Guehi. But none of the moves worked out at the end. And this has forced Los Blancos to look at other alternatives.

Juni Calafat looking at two options

According to ESPN, Real Madrid chief scout Juni Calafat is looking at two options in his bid to bolster the team’s defensive unit next season – Nico Schlotterbeck of Borussia Dortmund and Castello Lukeba of RB Leipzig.

A technically-adept centre-back with an equal level of skill in the air, Schlotterbeck is regarded as one of the best defenders in the Bundesliga.

Schlotterbeck has been too good to ignore. (Photo by Christof Koepsel/Getty Images)

The German international has been an ever-present figure in the Dortmund backline and his performances have been simply too good to ignore.

The defender’s contract at Dortmund expires in 2027 and the player is yet to renew his contract, making him a desirable target for Real Madrid. To make things even better, it appears Barcelona have dropped their pursuit of the German as well.

Another option Calafat is looking at is Lukeba, the RB Leipzig defender who has witnessed immense growth since joining from Lyon in 2023.

At 23, Lukeba already has almost 100 competitive appearances for Leipzig. But with a contract until 2029 and a tad bit younger age-profile, he could prove to be more expensive.

However, with Alaba and Rudiger likely to leave, one would expect Real Madrid to have the financial capacity to go big after a centre-back next summer. Whether or not it is on Schlotterbeck or Lukeba remains to be seen.