Schlotterbeck to the Premier League? Liverpool step up their interest | OneFootball

First the World Cup and then to the island? There is no doubt that Nico Schlotterbeck will be part of the German squad for the tournament in Canada, Mexico, and the USA (June 11 to July 19, 2026). Will the 26-year-old central defender from Borussia Dortmund then move to the Premier League?

It is by no means certain yet that Schlotterbeck will actually leave BVB. The Bundesliga club is doing everything it can to convince its defensive leader to sign a new contract. According to BILD, the Black and Yellows want to lure the Waiblingen native with an annual salary of 14 million euros.

With Real Madrid and Liverpool FC, two absolute heavyweights of European football are vying for the Dortmund defensive specialist. The Spanish record champions are looking for replacements for David Alaba (33) and Antonio Rüdiger (33), who are about to leave Los Blancos. Real also has Ibrahima Konaté (26) in their sights as another central defender alongside Schlotterbeck—ironically, from the Reds. The Frenchman is allowed to leave the club on the Mersey for free next summer.

Real also in the race

It’s easy to understand why LFC coach Arne Slot (47) is sounding the alarm. Especially since Virgil van Dijk is now 34 years old and only under contract with the English record champions until 2027. According to information from Teamtalk, Slot intends to bring Schlotterbeck to Anfield in the summer transfer window at all costs. Reportedly, direct talks have already taken place with the Dortmund central defender. The goal is to beat Real Madrid to the signing.

Photo: Getty Images

The portal cites transfer journalist Jorge C. Picón, who reported on X about a meeting between Slot and Schlotterbeck. With Jeremy Jacquet (20) from Stade Rennes, Liverpool has signed a central defender for the new season. In addition, the long-term injured Giovanni Leoni (19) is returning. However, neither of them comes close to having the experience of Nico Schlotterbeck. Since Joe Gomez (28) is more likely to be considered a squad player, the Reds urgently need reinforcements after a disappointing season. This was once again evident in the disappointing 0:1 defeat in the first leg of the round of 16 on Tuesday evening (March 10) in the Champions League at Galatasaray Istanbul.

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