Liverpool have been linked with a summer move for highly-rated Borussia Dortmund centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck, and a new update acts as a boost for them.
The Reds have had defensive issues all season long, with Ibrahima Konate’s performances proving to be far too inconsistent, and Joe Gomez also not always performing.
Even Liverpool legend Virgil van Dijk has looked human at times, and while Arne Slot’s ailing midfield certainly hasn’t helped, more has been needed at the back.
Jerremy Jacquet is joining from Rennes at the end of the season, but he is a young player with lots of promise, so a more established option is also required.
Schlotterbeck has been linked with Liverpool plenty of times of late, and while he has signed a new long-term deal with Dortmund recently, Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg has offered the Reds some hope on X:
“Now confirmed, as revealed yesterday on our show Transfer Update: Liverpool (alongside Real Madrid) are also one of the few clubs that can activate a release clause for Nico Schlotterbeck this summer.
“The fee is around €50-60 million. The release clause is not valid for the entire summer transfer window. According to @M_Wessing , it expires around the time of the World Cup final (19 July).”
?? Now confirmed, as revealed yesterday on our show Transfer Update: Liverpool (alongside Real Madrid) are also one of the few clubs that can activate a release clause for Nico Schlotterbeck this summer. The fee is around €50-60 million. #LFC
The release clause is not valid… pic.twitter.com/PZqa0OWN5s
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) April 14, 2026
Is Nico Schlotterbeck the man to solve Liverpool’s defensive woes?
The £52.1m-rated Schlotterbeck has matured into a fantastic player for both Dortmund and Germany, and is expected to start for his country at the 2026 World Cup.
This update is good news for Liverpool, in terms of being able to prise the 26-year-old away in the summer, but it may be that he is happy at his current club, or likes the idea of joining Real Madrid instead.
Schlotterbeck ticks lots of boxes for the Reds, proving to be a classy figure in possession – he has a 90% pass completion rate in the Champions League this season – and being hailed by Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann, who described him as an “outstanding” player.
He is the same age as Konate, but is arguably far more consistent at this point in his career, and considering the rumoured release clause is far from an earth-shattering amount, Liverpool should chance their arm when the summer window arrives.
