Report: Real Madrid privately concede defeat to Liverpool in race for ‘unstoppable’ transfer target | OneFootball

Could Liverpool actually get one over on Real Madrid in the transfer market?

The LaLiga giants have had an annoying habit of luring high-profile players from Anfield over the years, as well as bloodying our noses on big Champions League nights, although we got one back on them in that competition 11 months ago.

As reported by CF Bayern Insider this week, Nico Schlotterbeck would be interested in a potential contract offer from the Merseysiders, with Los Blancos and Bayern Munich also among the candidates to sign the Borussia Dortmund defender.

Real Madrid concede defeat to Liverpool over Schlotterbeck

According to Spanish outlet Defensa Central (via CaughtOffside), there is a feeling internally at Real Madrid that they have ‘definitively lost’ out to Liverpool in the race for the 25-year-old, which follows on from David Lynch revealing that the German is a player who LFC ‘definitely do like and have watched’.

However, the report also claims that the blow for Xabi Alonso’s side may be softened by the increasing likelihood of landing Ibrahima Konate from the Reds after his contract at Anfield expires next summer, with Schlotterbeck duly filling the void in Arne Slot’s squad.

(Photo by Christian Kaspar-Bartke/Getty Images)

Schlotterbeck would be a tremendous replacement for Konate

While the Frenchman would be a significant loss to Liverpool if he were to leave, despite criticism of his recent performances, replacing him with the Borussia Dortmund defender would be astute business on FSG’s part.

Hailed by his former underage coach Jörg Schuller for his ‘unstoppable‘ work ethic on the training ground, the 25-year-old is a remarkably well-rounded centre-back who’s among the best in Europe for a series of underlying performance metrics, as evidenced by figures from FBref.

Over the past year, he ranks among the top 10% of positional peers in the five main European leagues with his match averages for progressive passes and carries, assists, shot-creating actions and successful take-ons, as well as the top 25% for tackles and blocks per 90 minutes.

When Real Madrid want a player, it’s rare that they don’t end up getting him, which is why Schlotterbeck would be a notable coup for Liverpool if they can lure him from Dortmund in 2026.

If the Reds are to lose Konate next year but replace him with the German, they’d be getting another centre-back in his mid-20s with ample high-level experience (almost 200 games in the Bundesliga and Champions League and 22 caps for his country).

We’d take these reports with a pinch of salt for now, but if Richard Hughes senses any opportunity that he could beat Los Blancos to the punch for the 25-year-old, he simply must seize upon it!

You can watch Slot’s full pre-Manchester United press conference via Empire of the Kop on YouTube: