Top Real Madrid defensive target could be involved in a feud with current club
· Yahoo Sports
Nico Schlotterbeck is rapidly becoming a name of interest for Real Madrid as the club grow desperate in reinforcing their defensive ranks next summer.
With the contracts of veterans Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba set to expire at the end of the season, Florentino Perez is actively seeking a partner to anchor the backline alongside Eder Militao and the emerging Dean Huijsen.
Visit catcross.org for more information.
A clash of ambition
The German international is expected to be available on the market soon, as his current contract with Borussia Dortmund expires in 2027.
While recent focus has been on other areas, Schlotterbeck’s profile remains high on the wishlist due to his aggressive style and burgeoning leadership.
However, the defender has recently stirred a pot within the BVB camp. Following a string of Dortmund wins and slips from Bayern Munich, Schlotterbeck publicly stated that the club must fight to be champions.
Will Schlotterbeck leave Dortmund in the summer? (Photo by Friedemann Vogel/Getty Images)
The statement didn’t go well with the Dortmund board as they believe the defender was setting up unfair expectations, reports Bundesliga journalist Jose Araoz. Dortmund currently sits six points adrift of Bayern at the summit.
Rather than retracting his statements to appease the Dortmund hierarchy, Schlotterbeck has doubled down on his winning mentality, a trait that aligns perfectly with the never-say-die DNA of Real Madrid.
“Right now, I’m the captain because Emre [Can] is out. If I set the course, the team has to follow it. I lead by example. At BVB, we play to win and achieve something,” he said.
This refusal to settle for second place is exactly the type of personality the Madrid board values when looking to replace experienced leaders like Alaba.
Schlotterbeck’s insistence on a win-at-all-costs environment indicates he is ready for a more demanding stage. And with Barcelona also slowly backing out, the stage could be set for Los Blancos to try and sign one of the best defenders in Europe.