Bundesliga club move to secure €40m left-footed center-back amid Barcelona interest | OneFootball

FC Barcelona lost their only left-footed center-back, Inigo Martinez, during the last summer transfer window, a departure that has left a noticeable void in the team’s backline.

As a result, the Catalan giants have been actively linked with several centre-backs in recent weeks as they look to reinforce their defensive options.

One such left-footed center-back that has been strongly linked with Barcelona in this context has been the Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck, whose contractual situation has led to speculation about a possible exit from the Bundesliga side, with the Blaugranes reportedly being interested in him.

In such a context, SPORT reports that Dortmund are trying to protect the player from the Catalans, and for this purpose, they have offered him a new proposal, that will extend his contract, which currently ends in 2027, till 2030.

With their latest proposal, the German club has reportedly offered to raise the €40 million-rated German centre-back’s current salary from around €2.5 million to €8 million, including both fixed and performance-based bonuses tied to personal and team achievements.

Such a proposal is unlikely to convince the defender, who has already publicly stated his intention not to renew his contract any time soon.

“Of course, there is mutual respect, but to be honest, I don’t think I’ll be renewing my contract anytime soon,” Schlotterbeck himself stated a few days ago.

Meanwhile, Bayern Munich have also shown an interest in him, and with Barcelona and the two German giants trying to get or retain hold of Nico Schlotterbeck, it remains to be seen where he will be playing after next summer.