Borussia Dortmund centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck has emerged as a serious transfer target for Liverpool, who cannot afford to wait until the end of the season to sign him.
This comes from Football Insider journalist Pete O’Rourke, who reports that Schlotterbeck could be available for “a cheaper deal than originally expected”, which could be a welcome boost for Liverpool head coach Arne Slott.
Nico Schlotterbeck vs. Ibrahima Konate: 25/26 in 90 stats comparison
Passes completed: 66.7 – 56.0 Interceptions: 1.25 – 0.99 Clearances: 4.63 – 6.81 Tackles: 2.07 – 1.35 Errors resulting in shots: 0.00 – 0.28
Schlotterbeck earned a move from SC Freiburg to Borussia Dortmund in the 2022 summer transfer window, establishing himself as one of the Bundesliga’s leading centre-backs.
He almost won the Bundesliga in his first season at the club, but fell behind Thomas Tuchel’s Bayern Munich on goal difference.
Dortmund and Schlotterbeck bounced back in the 2023/24 season and reached the Champions League final, but lost to Real Madrid at Wembley.
The 25-year-old is also a regular for Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany squad, starting three of Die Mannschaft’s final four 2026 World Cup qualifying matches.
Schlotterbeck enters the final 18 months of his contract with Dortmund in January and, understandably, a number of European giants are monitoring his situation.
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Liverpool are also among the clubs reportedly interested in signing the German defender, with transfer journalist O’Rourke telling Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast that a “cut-value” deal could be finalized at the end of the season.
It has been claimed that the Reds could sign Schlotterbeck “for less than originally expected”. O’Rourke said: “Liverpool will definitely be in that race to sign him and get him to England if possible.
“A top player like that could be available for a reduced fee next summer, especially if he enters the final year of his contract with Dortmund without an agreement on an extension.
“They may be able to acquire him for a much lower fee than would normally be expected from a current German international player.”
Liverpool need a centre-back in January, not summer
Liverpool were dealt a huge blow on deadline day when Marc Guehy’s proposed £35m transfer from Crystal Palace fell through, but it was made worse by summer signing Giovanni Leoni’s season-ending ACL injury and Ibrahima Konate’s poor start to the season.
The slot side may be able to acquire Guehi on a free transfer after the season ends. Yet the damage has already been done in the opening months of the 2025/26 season, with an astonishing six defeats in their opening 11 Premier League games, leaving them eighth, eight points behind pacesetters Arsenal.
If Slott wants to get anything back from this season, he needs to sign a center back in January instead of waiting until the end of the season.
Leoni will be available again next season, but for the remainder of this season the only natural centre-back options in the slot are Konate’s Virgil van Dijk, who is struggling, and Joe Gomez, who appears to lack confidence.
Signing Schlotterbeck in January would eliminate the possibility of a ‘cut-value’ deal, but even if Palace guarantee a transfer fee for Gehi, who is due to leave for free in June, it is unlikely that he will let him leave midway through the season.
Transfermarkt value Schlotterbeck at €40m (about £35.2m), which already feels like a discount.
But with Bayern Munich also (obviously) sniffing around, Liverpool will need to act boldly in the winter transfer window. With Konate and Van Dijk struggling and a lack of depth at the back, it’s clear that a new centre-back is needed in January, whether it’s Schlotterbeck or someone else.
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