Real Madrid no don forget about Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck, according to reports from Germany. Sky Sport don report say Madrid still dey keep tabs on the German center-back, wey the club don follow for some time now.
Schlotterbeck reportedly dey third on Real Madrid list of potential defensive targets as the club dey evaluate options for the future. The Dortmund defender, wey currently dey with Germany for World Cup, don talk about the reported interest from Real Madrid.
“Yes, of course you find out about these things through the media, but basically, as I said a few weeks ago, now all the attention is focused on the World Cup, on the first match,” Schlotterbeck talk.
Schlotterbeck only recently renew im contract with Borussia Dortmund, but reports indicate say im deal include clause wey go allow am leave for club outside Bundesliga for fee wey dey around €50 million. Real Madrid dey expect to get busy summer as dem dey assess their defensive needs, and Schlotterbeck appear to remain one of the names on the club radar.
The German international don establish himself as one of the best centre-backs in Europe at Borussia Dortmund, where he don make 161 appearances and score 11 goals. However, while the former SC Freiburg man say he dey aware of the talk surrounding im long-term future at club level, he dey adamant say he no dey pay too much attention to am.
Schlotterbeck don dey included in Germany 26-man squad for the World Cup, with Julian Nagelsmann side looking to get their Group E campaign off to the perfect start against Curacao on Sunday. In quotes wey German publication BILD carry, Schlotterbeck talk: “Yes, of course you get something like that (transfer speculation) through the media. But basically I already said that a few weeks ago, the complete focus is now on the World Cup, on the first game. In Qatar, we don see how such a first game fit go. That’s extremely important, that’s why I get am, but e no dey my head at all.”
Schlotterbeck dey hope to help Germany qualify for the World Cup knockout phase for the first time since 2014, when dem win the tournament, after dem suffer early exits at Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022. Nagelsmann charges go lock horns with Ivory Coast for their second fixture on Saturday, 20 June before dem wrap up their Group E obligations against Ecuador five days later.
Meanwhile Real don confirm Jose Mourinho as their new head coach on Thursday, with the Portuguese returning to the club he manage between 2010 and 2013 on a three-year contract. Mourinho return don come off the back of Florentino Perez defeat Enrique Riquelme for Real presidential elections, with the 79-year-old don win 65 per cent of the vote. Former Chelsea and Manchester United boss Mourinho dey aim to rebuild Real side wey don fail to win trophy for the last two seasons, with Ibrahima Konate and Denzel Dumfries set to become im first two signings.
