In recent weeks, there has been strong speculation about the future of Nico Schlotterbeck. The German defender has caught the attention of clubs like Bayern Munich and Liverpool. BILD has reported that Bayern have already submitted their interest to his camp.
Schlotterbeck has been a solid defender for Dortmund since joining from Freiburg. And after the departure of Mats Hummels, Nico has blossomed into the main man at the back for BVB. For this reason, it is no surprise that the biggest clubs in Europe are keeping an eye on him.
Reports suggest that Schlotterbeck has yet to decide whether he will stay at BVB or not. The club has lost many star players in the past, and this could turn out to be a similar case.
Many BVB fans don’t want to see Schlotterbeck in a Bayern shirt, as was the case with former players Mario Goetze, Robert Lewandowski, and Mats Hummels. But Bayern have eyed the defender as a key figure to bolster their back line and hope to pair him with fellow German Johnathan Tah.
Liverpool are another team keeping an eye on the German as they seek a long-term center-back option, with Ibrahima Konate out of form and Virgil Van Dijk aging. Both Liverpool and Bayern are also looking at Crystal Palace’s defender Marc Guéhi, so it's uncertain which of them will push strongly for Nico.
Schlotterbeck’s performance this season has been as impressive as ever. According to Data MB, he completes more long passes per 90 than any other defender in the top 7 European leagues.
Schlotterbeck has a contract until 2027, and it will be interesting to see what transpires in the coming months. The fact that BVB are willing to let their star defender run down his contract and leave on a free indicates how valuable he is and how desperate they are to keep him.