Report: Borussia Dortmund interested in Xaver Schlager and Konrad Laimer
Midfield duo Xaver Schlager and Konrad Laimer are said to be on Borussia Dortmund’s list of potential summer transfer targets.
It is no secret by now that Borussia Dortmund may go through some big changes in the squad come the summer transfer window, with a variety of players heavily linked with a move to the Westfalenstadion. One position in particular that has surfaced as a concrete area of interest for the club is in midfield, namely a player who can replace the outgoing Axel Witsel.
Borussia Dortmund have already been linked with quite a few candidates for defensive midfield. Just last month, some reports claimed that they were interested in FC Köln midfielder Ellyes Skhiri. Now, Sky are saying that Die Schwarzgelben aren’t interested in the Tunisia international anymore, with Xaver Schlager (Wolfsburg) and Konrad Laimer (RB Leipzig) now among their targets.
Schlager and Laimer are said to be Marco Rose’s preferred candidates to answer the defensive midfield dilemma that Dortmund currently face. Both players have contracts expiring in 2023, which would make this coming summer a good time to make a bid for either of the two.
Rose worked with both players when he was at RB Salzburg, and he even praised Schlager ahead of Borussia Dortmund’s game against Wolfsburg last week.
Considering Wolfsburg sit at a lowly 13th place, Schlager would likely be the easier of the two players to convince to make the move as Dortmund can offer him something that Wolfsburg cannot: UEFA Champions League football.
Leipzig, on the other hand, will likely work hard to convince Laimer of their project. They will also be reluctant to sell to a direct competitor, but that doesn’t mean that Dortmund shouldn’t try and acquire the player’s services.
On the contrary, these are the types of players Dortmund should be pushing for, and it’s refreshing to see the club looking into concrete options that aren’t just talents for the future, but moreso solid players for the here and now.
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Both players are 24 and are likely to hit their prime with the next club they sign for. They are both talented options who could help reinforce the defensive aspect of Dortmund’s game, which has been woefully lacking this season. Added steel in the midfield is a must for Dortmund going forward if they want to truly improve the overall health of their squad going into next season.