Is Nico Schlotterbeck positioning himself for a £61m move from Borussia Dortmund to Bayern Munich?

From Madrid to Merseyside, Nico Schlotterbeck has no shortage of admirers. But with 18 months remaining on his contract at Signal Iduna Park, the latest indications are that the future of the Borussia Dortmund centre-back may lie in Bavaria.

Schlotterbeck’s apparent reluctance to sign a proffered contract extension has piqued the interest of a number of top European clubs. Liverpool have been linked with the 26-year-old Germany international, while Barcelona and Real Madrid are also understood to be monitoring his situation.

Amid a welter of possibilities, Schlotterbeck has indicated that his next move will be shaped by a desire to win trophies. The only silverware of his career to date came four years ago, when he won the European Championship with Stefan Kuntz’s Germany under-21 side. 

But after the defender remarked in an interview that he specifically wants to claim a title on home soil, it would seem that both Dortmund and Schlotterbeck’s long list of suitors beyond Germany should be braced for disappointment.

Nico Schlotterbeck hints at Bayern Munich interest

“My goal is to win a championship in Germany,” said Schlotterbeck, who missed out on the Bundesliga title two years ago, when Bayern Munich dramatically prevailed on goal difference, and also reached the 2024 Champions League final in London, where Dortmund were beaten by Real Madrid. 

“We were close. The Champions League is very difficult to win; we were close there, too. I was also close in the DFB Cup. As a professional footballer, I’ve only won the Under-21 European Championship. I want to finally hold something in my hands.”

Schlotterbeck’s remarks would seem to swing the pendulum firmly towards Bayern Munich, who are reportedly intent on bringing in a new defender irrespective of Dayot Upamecano’s long-running contract saga. The France international, who has yet to commit to the club a month after he was widely reported to be in advanced talks over a new deal, will be free to agree a pre-contract with a foreign club from 1 January.

How Schlotterbeck appears to have paved the way for a move

Many observers feel Schlotterbeck, who was openly critical of his team-mates after Dortmund stuttered to a draw with Norwegian minnows Bodo Glimt in the Champions League earlier this month, has been positioning himself for a move in recent weeks. The fallout from Schlotterbeck’s broadside reportedly created tensions in the dressing room, and his latest remarks will have done little to allay fears that his days at Dortmund are numbered.

Should he sign for Bayern next summer, Schlotterbeck will be treading a well-worn path. The long list of Dortmund players who have made high-profile moves to the Allianz Arena in recent times includes Mario Götze, Robert Lewandowski, Mats Hummels and Raphaël Guerreiro. 

With Schlotterbeck’s departure now regarded as all but inevitable, Dortmund have reportedly set a €70m (£61m) asking price for the defender.