Real Madrid Ready to Launch Blockbuster Bid for Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck

Madrid, Spain — Real Madrid are preparing a marquee move for Borussia Dortmund and Germany starting center-back Nico Schlotterbeck, according to a report by AS journalists José Félix Díaz and David Alonso. The 26-year-old defender has emerged as the consensus target inside the club’s Valdebebas headquarters after weeks of intensified scouting, with sporting decision-makers convinced he can anchor Los Blancos’ back line for the next generation.

Schlotterbeck’s current deal with Dortmund runs through June 30, 2027, but the player has declined to extend, forcing the Bundesliga side to consider a sale this summer. Dortmund officials have already begun canvassing the market for a left-footed replacement, signaling their willingness to negotiate. Sources indicate a fee in the region of €50 million would be enough to secure the Germany international—an accessible price for a proven top-tier defender whose contract horizon is shortening.

Real Madrid’s interest is hardly casual. Central defense has been flagged as a priority position, and Schlotterbeck’s name has risen above a list of alternatives that previously included Ibrahima Konaté, Dayot Upamecano—who recently renewed with Bayern Munich—and Crystal Palace’s Marc Guéhi, who has since joined Manchester City. After multiple rounds of internal meetings, club chiefs have coalesced around Schlotterbeck as the ideal profile: left-footed, aggressive in the air, and comfortable building play from the back.

Competition is stiff. Barcelona’s coaching staff have tracked Schlotterbeck for months and have presented the board with a detailed dossier highlighting the defender’s tactical fit within their system. Yet Barça’s immediate focus appears to be on acquiring a center forward, potentially freeing the field for Madrid. Bayern Munich, long presumed to be the natural next step for any Dortmund-produced Germany regular, are no longer viewed as frontrunners after Upamecano’s extension closed the pathway the Bavarians might have offered.

For Madrid, the urgency is amplified by possible departures. Veteran defenders Antonio Rüdiger and David Alaba could both move on this summer, leaving a void that Schlotterbeck would be tasked to fill. With the race for his signature only just beginning, Florentino Pérez and his recruitment team are expected to press ahead swiftly, aiming to secure the German before rival suitors firm up their offers.

Real Madrid supporters may soon have a new defensive cornerstone to cheer—one whose arrival would signal the club’s intent to combine immediate competitiveness with long-term planning.