Liverpool get dream Nico Schlotterbeck news; can more forward on deal

Liverpool have the news they wanted on Nico Schlotterbeck. Now the Reds can move forward on a deal.

Liverpool have been linked with Nico Schlotterbeck in recent days as they seek a new centre-back. It's a chase that hasn't been routine thus far.

Of course, Liverpool did sign a centre-back in the summer. Giovanni Leoni arrived from Parma, only to severely injure his knee on debut and find himself ruled out for a year.

Then Marc Guehi should have joined at the end of the transfer window. Crystal Palace pulled the plug on that deal, however, leaving the Reds without their first-rate signing.

Ibrahima Konate's contract situation leaves Liverpool needing a new centre-back, though. As does the fact that Joe Gomez looks certain to leave the club.

A successor to Virgil van Dijk is a necessity, too, and that's where Schlotterbeck comes in. The German is one of the best defenders in Europe right now and looks absolutely ideal for Liverpool.

The Reds need a few things to go their way if a deal is to happen, though.

Nico Schlotterbeck's status

Borussia Dortmund don't want to lose Schlotterbeck but they may not have a choice. The defender's contract expires in 2027 and if he doesn't renew ASAP, Dortmund must sell.

They can't afford to lose a player this valuable on a free transfer, after all. The interest in Schlotterbeck is massive as a result.

Bild now reports that Schlotterbeck does not intend on signing a contract extension anytime soon. That will pile the pressure on Dortmund who surely can't afford to go beyond next summer without selling.

It's essentially the last thing Dortmund want to hear. For Liverpool, though, it's the first step towards a deal.

They need Schlotterbeck to remain on his current contract to have any chance of signing him. The news that he intends to do that is welcome, then - and a proper attempt to sign him can move forward from here.

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