Real Madrid have been on the market for potential centre-back reinforcements for some time.
David Alaba is set to leave when his contract expires this summer, and it remains to be seen whether Antonio Rudiger will do the same, depending on how his body responds between now and the end of the season.
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William Saliba was on the agenda but re-signed with Arsenal, just like Dayot Upamecano re-signed with Bayern Munich. Ibrahima Konate’s contract at Liverpool is about to expire, but it is not convincing.
The most influential name right now is Nico Schlotterbeck. The 26-year-old German center back has a contract with Borussia Dortmund until June 2027.
Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund have close ties
Borussia Dortmund has always been a difficult club to negotiate with, and Schloterback is a very valuable player at Signal Iduna Park.
However, according to “AS”, Real Madrid started with a certain advantage due to the good relationship the two clubs have established over the years.
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Hans-Joachim Watzke, Borussia Dortmund’s chief executive for two decades and now club president, considers himself a personal friend of Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and general manager Jose Angel Sánchez.
Schlotterbeck is a target for Real Madrid. (Photo by Boris Strubel/Getty Images)
Even when disagreements arise, such as over the Chinese Super League, the relationship has not wavered and is expected to continue moving forward.
This relationship yielded positive results on both fronts. The most recent example is Real Madrid’s signing of Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund in 2023 for €103 million, plus €30 million in variable fees.
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Although other clubs were interested in offering better financial terms to the players, Watzke’s advice was decisive in Bellingham’s selection los blancos.
There were others before that: Nouri Shaheen joined Madrid in 2011 and returned to Dortmund in 2014, Achraf Hakimi spent two strong seasons on loan in Germany, and Reinier Jesus also moved there, although he has yet to establish himself.
There are still some actions that have not yielded results, but Dortmund is still willing to assist Real Madrid. Such was the case with Erling Haaland, who moved to Manchester City via a release clause.
Players’ decision prevails but Dortmund retain merengue Be as informed as possible.
This positive relationship could ultimately help Real Madrid if they decide to act on their interest in Nico Schloterbeck.
