Liverpool are keen on signing Borussia Dortmund centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck to reinforce their defence, as per Ekrem Konur.
Strengthening the back line has become a clear priority for the Reds following their failed attempt to sign Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace during last summer’s window.
There remains a realistic chance the Merseyside outfit could target two central defenders, particularly after Giovanni Leoni, signed in the summer, encountered a serious injury setback almost immediately after his arrival.
Compounding the issue, Ibrahima Konate’s performances have dipped significantly, while Virgil van Dijk, now 34, is no longer at his peak, prompting the club to assess alternatives—with Schlotterbeck among those under consideration.
The 6ft 3in colossus, who is valued at £35m by Transfermarkt, has established himself as one of the standout centre-backs in the Bundesliga since completing his switch from Freiburg to Signal Iduna Park in 2022.
He has become a vital presence in defence for Niko Kovač’s side, playing a key role in their impressive defensive output this campaign, having conceded only 12 goals — the second-lowest tally across the division.
As per Konur, Liverpool are looking to reinforce their backline and are ‘tracking’ Schlotterbeck among their centre-back options.
The Premier League champions are aware of the defender’s contractual standoff with Dortmund and are now monitoring the situation ahead of a possible move, according to the report.
Schlotterbeck to Liverpool
Liverpool defeated Brighton & Hove Albion 2-0 in their last Premier League outing, meaning they have now kept back-to-back clean sheets following their previous 1-0 victory over Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League.
Interestingly, Liverpool’s last run of consecutive clean sheets also came after wins in both the league and the Champions League, with identical scorelines: first a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa, followed by a 1-0 win against Real Madrid.
However, they went on to lose their next three games across all competitions, scoring only once and conceding at least three goals.
Arne Slot will hope the precedent doesn’t repeat when they travel to North London on Saturday to face a Tottenham Hotspur side that have not won back-to-back home games in the Premier League since November 2024.
