Borussia Dortmund centre-half Nico Schlotterbeck is set to renew his deal with the club until 2031, according to Bild.
The German defender looked to be on his way out of the Signal Iduna Park this summer. However, he is reportedly staying after progress was made in the past few days.
Schlotterbeck’s new deal will reportedly include a release clause that becomes valid in 2027 and is worth around €60 million.
News of Schlotterbeck’s renewal will come as a blow to clubs that had been chasing him. He had only one year left on his deal.
Bayern Munich were reportedly keen, with the club trying to ship off Kim Min-Jae or Hiroki Ito this summer. Schlotterbeck was their ideal partner for Dayot Upamecano.
Liverpool were linked with the centre-half as a natural heir to Virgil Van Dijk on the left side of defence.
The Dutchman has been a great servant to the Reds, but he is declining. Schlotterbeck was a potential successor, but they will have to turn elsewhere.
Real Madrid are preparing to lose Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba this summer, leaving a gaping hole in central defence.
Schlotterbeck was one of the candidates on their shortlist to fill the hole, but they may have to erase his name or postpone their pursuit.
The move makes sense for Schlotterbeck. He still has to work on refining some of the rougher edges of his game, even though he is already a fine defender with terrific leadership qualities.
Another year of consistency anchoring the BVB backline will prepare him for a move to a bigger club where the pressure and demands are higher.
