Report: Borussia Dortmund had secret meeting with transfer target Nico Schlotterbeck three weeks ago

According to reports, Nico Schlotterbeck’s move to Borussia Dortmund could be moving closer and closer to coming to fruition. The club’s hierarchy reportedly met with the player and his representatives in March to discuss the parameters around a potential move to the Westfalenstadion for the German international.

Sky Sport also indicate that Schlotterbeck is keen on joining Die Schwarzgelben and that Bayern Munich is not in the race for his signature at this time. This is great news, if true, for the club and fans who witnessed Saturday’s disaster of a performance against Leipzig.

Schlotterbeck, if he joins Dortmund, could play a significant role in improving the team’s faulty back-line for seasons to come. He is the second element of this defensive rebuild, the first being the already announced signing of Bayern Munich and Germany defender Niklas Süle.

Should Schlotterbeck indeed make the move to Dortmund, the club will be sporting what could possibly be the first choice defensive pairing for Germany as well. Having such a crucial element of the national team form a level of chemistry at club level will be a boost for both BVB and the national team.

The deal is still a long way off from completion, as Borussia Dortmund and Freiburg are still in talks about the asking price. Freiburg seem to be looking for more than 20 million euros, which is more than what BVB are willing to pay.

The potential signing of Schlotterbeck will also depend on Manuel Akanji’s future. The Swiss international is being linked with a move to Manchester United.

Building a strong defensive core is surely a top priority for Borussia Dortmund, and signing a player of Schlotterbeck’s quality will hopefully bolster the team for years to come.