Liverpool eye €70m transfer as target’s club ‘give up’ contract talks

Liverpool are looking to rebuild their defensive spine in 2026 after revamping the attack in 2025, and they received a boost in their pursuit of a possible Virgil van Dijk replacement.

Borussia Dortmund have reportedly ‘given up’ trying to keep Germany international Nico Schlotterbeck, according to TeamTalk. BVB is holding out for €70m to sell him this summer, one year before his contract expires.

The Reds have already beaten Chelsea to a deal for French centre-back Jeremy Jacquet, who will arrive from Rennes in the summer. With Ibrahima Konate’s contract expiring this summer and Van Dijk’s ending after the 2026/27 season, the club wants to plan ahead while adding more depth at the position.

Giovanni Leoni’s ACL injury in September left the club with just three senior centre-back options: Konate, Van Dijk, and Joe Gomez.

Schlotterbeck, a left-footed, 26-year-old defender, has been a first-team regular for Borussia Dortmund over the last four seasons. He joined in a €20m deal in 2022 from SC Freiburg, and his current club wants more than three times that amount to allow him to join the Merseyside club.

Schlotterbeck ready to move on

A Germany international since 2022, with 23 caps to his name, Schlotterbeck’s experience and left-footedness — plus his contract expiring in less than 18 months — make him a sensible target for Liverpool.

At 26 years old, he has enough experience to take responsibility off of 34-year-old Van Dijk’s shoulders.

While 19-year-old Leoni and 20-year-old Jacquet are clearly viewed as the club’s centre-back partnership of the future, the club will look for instant-impact players at the position, especially if Konate leaves on a free transfer.

Schlotterbeck wins over 60% of his duels both in the air and on the ground and is the best in the Bundesliga when it comes to long passes, completing 7.2 per 90 minutes. He also has scored three goals this season, all from corner kicks.

The German is a capable and athletic defender, comfortable on the ball, a set-piece threat, and has world-class long passing that can open up the pitch for his teammates in front of him.

The player believes he is ready for the step up from the Bundesliga to the Premier League, as shown by his refusal to extend his BVB deal. It remains to be seen if Liverpool will meet his club’s valuation after a period of heavy spending.

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