TRANSFER EXCLUSIVE: NICO SCHLOTTERBECK TO REAL MADRID GATHERS PACE IN HUGE €70M DEAL
Real Madrid eyes Nico Schlotterbeck for a 2026 move as interest in Konate cools, and Upamecano stays at Bayern. BVB demands €70m.
Real Madrid’s plan for their defence is finally starting to take shape, and now a familiar Bundesliga name is grabbing their attention. Word from BILD is that Nico Schlotterbeck landing at the Santiago Bernabeu isn’t just a rumour anymore—things are lining up on both sides, and talks are getting serious.
Borussia Dortmund would rather see their German international defender move abroad than to a domestic rival, and they’ve put a price tag north of €50 million on him. For Real Madrid, that’s actually a plus. The club has no problem spending big on defenders who fit into their long-term plans instead of chasing short-term solutions.
Honestly, Madrid needs a centre-back. It’s been an open secret for a while—they’re set to hit the market at the end of the season. Injuries, ageing players, possible departures... the recruitment team’s been busy weighing a bunch of top-tier options.
Up until lately, most of the talk focused on Ibrahima Konate and Dayot Upamecano. But things have changed. Konate, who used to be high on their list, is raising eyebrows now. There are questions about his consistency and whether he really fits, so excitement about him has cooled off.
Then there’s Upamecano. His future with Bayern Munich looks locked in, so Madrid isn’t really considering him anymore.
That leaves Schlotterbeck. His situation stands out. He’s under contract with Dortmund until 2027, and so far, there’s no deal to extend. Time’s ticking, and with no progress in talks, people in Germany expect he’ll leave by summer 2026.
Dortmund have tried to tie him down for the long haul—they know how much he matters to the team, on the field and in the locker room. But lately, it feels like Schlotterbeck has already decided to take the next step in his career. That’s why the rumours connecting him to Real Madrid have suddenly started to feel a lot more real.
HISTORY BECKONS: CAN DANI CARVAJAL FINALLY EQUAL LUKA MODRIC’S LEGENDARY TROPHY HAUL THIS SUNDAY?
Dani Carvajal previews the Supercup final in Jeddah. Will Mbappe be fit? Plus, the captain’s quest to match Modric’s trophy haul.
On Sunday, Real Madrid gets another shot at a trophy—it’s been over a year since their last one—and who’s standing in their way? Of course, it’s Barcelona, in the Spanish Supercup final. Xabi Alonso’s team aren’t the favourite, but honestly, they’re itching to settle the score after that 5-2 loss to the Catalans in last year’s final.
Before the big game, Real Madrid’s captain, Dani Carvajal, talked to the press. Diario AS caught some of his thoughts, especially about what this final means to him personally.
“Tomorrow’s huge for us. We really want this title. For me, it’s also a chance to catch up with Luka Modric as the player with the most titles in the club’s history.”
Carvajal also mentioned he’s hoping Kylian Mbappe recovers in time to play in Jeddah after that minor knee knock.
“Kylian’s massive for us. He’s the best striker in the world, and I really hope he makes it, because he can change everything out there.”
It’s been a rough first half of the season for Madrid, but things have started to pick up lately. Carvajal wants to keep that momentum going and trusts his manager to guide them through.
“We weren’t at our best late last year. We had so many injuries. The Christmas break helped all of us, honestly. I see Xabi calm and focused. Sure, when results don’t come, there’s always noise. But we’re ready to fight for him.”
About his run-in with Atletico’s Diego Simeone during Thursday’s semi-final, Carvajal didn’t make a big deal of it.
“We respect each other. We both fight for our clubs, that’s all. We shared our views and moved on. Now it’s all about tomorrow and going for the title. End of story.”
And then there’s the question about his contract, which only has six months left.
“I’ve been through a lot, especially after that serious injury. Right now, I just want to train and enjoy playing. The club and I are on the same page. I need to keep playing and show what I can do out there. If we both agree, there’s no problem at all.”
"THEY’RE GOING TO KICK YOU OUT"—DIEGO SIMEONE’S SHOCKING WORDS TO VINICIUS JUNIOR REVEALED
Xabi Alonso’s Madrid edge Atletico in a heated derby. Discover what Simeone said to Vinicius and why Alonso refused to shake hands.
Vinicius Junior and Diego Simeone went head-to-head in a fierce shouting match as Real Madrid edged past Atletico Madrid to book a spot in the Spanish Super Cup final.
The game kicked off with a bang—Federico Valverde blasted in a stunning free kick just two minutes after the whistle. That set the tone for a semi-final that was thrilling and, honestly, pretty heated in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
After halftime, Valverde turned playmaker. He slipped the ball to Rodrygo, who coolly slid it past Jan Oblak to double Madrid’s lead. But Atletico refused to roll over. Alexander Sorloth pulled one back for them almost immediately, setting up a tense finish. Still, Xabi Alonso’s team held their ground and saw out a 2-1 win, setting up a Clasico showdown with Barcelona in the final.
This wasn’t just any derby. Both teams went at each other from the first minute to the last, and tempers flared more than once. The biggest flashpoint came in the first half, when Vinicius and Simeone nearly got physical on the touchline. Cameras caught both men yelling and waving their arms at each other. Fans couldn’t hear the words, but the venom was obvious.
Later, Spanish TV channel Movistar picked up Simeone’s side of the argument. He didn’t hold back, taunting Vinicius: “Florentino Perez is going to kick you out, remember that! They’re going to kick you out; remember what I’m telling you.”
Things boiled over again late on, right after Vinicius left the pitch for Arda Guler. Suddenly, both benches emptied as players and staff clashed in front of the dugouts. Simeone seemed to spark it, yelling “Listen to the people!” at Vinicius and pointing toward the boos echoing around King Abdullah Sport City Stadium.
All of this came as rumours swirled about Vinicius’ future at Madrid. He hasn’t scored in his last 15 matches, and stories keep popping up about a move to Chelsea or even Saudi Arabia. You can tell he’s unsettled.
After the final whistle, Alonso didn’t even bother shaking Simeone’s hand. In his press conference, he called out Simeone for crossing the line. “I heard what Simeone said to Vini, and I didn’t like it,” Alonso told reporters. “You can’t talk like that; some things go too far.”
Before the game, Jude Bellingham backed his teammate. Vinicius has been dealing with whistles from his own fans during a rough patch in front of the goal. Bellingham said, “I can only speak from my perspective. Vinicius is under a huge amount of pressure, and everything he does on the pitch comes from pure emotion. People forget he’s human. I think that’s why he’s struggled in front of the goal. For me, he’s electric—he can create something out of nothing. Goals aren’t the whole story. He’s set up a lot, but yeah, he must find his best form again. You’ve got to look at the whole picture.”