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.
HOW TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD’S DREAM REAL MADRID MOVE BECAME A DEFENSIVE NIGHTMARE LATELY
Trent Alexander-Arnold faces a trophyless season at Real Madrid and a World Cup snub. Discover the stats and critiques from MARCA.
Being nine points adrift of Barcelona in La Liga and already out of the Champions League after Bayern Munich knocked them out, Trent Alexander-Arnold looks unlikely to lift any silverware in his first season with Real Madrid.
He left Liverpool, where he came through the academy, before his contract expired to join Madrid ahead of the Club World Cup. Since then, the club dismissed Xabi Alonso in January, and Alexander-Arnold has struggled to cement his place, partly due to injuries.
So far, he’s appeared just 24 times this season and has managed five assists across all competitions.
This week, MARCA noted that Alexander-Arnold has shown more struggles than strengths, especially in defence, during his time at the Bernabeu.
They pointed out he’s played significantly more minutes than Dani Carvajal, 1,382 compared to 858, but that hasn’t been enough to keep him in the thoughts of England’s manager, Thomas Tuchel, for the World Cup squad.
With injuries, uncertainties about Tuchel’s plans, and a preference for players like Ben White and Tino Livramento, Alexander-Arnold faces a crucial stretch where he’ll need to prove himself if he wants to be part of the 26-man England squad.
Steven Gerrard spoke during the March international break about the type of creativity Alexander-Arnold brings, especially needed against teams like Uruguay and Japan.
He mentioned the value of a player who can change the game’s rhythm, whether from the start or off the bench, to open up chances when things aren’t going smoothly.
Still, Tuchel chose other options. Earlier this month, AS described Alexander-Arnold as the Achilles' heel of Madrid’s defence during their European exit, a stark contrast to former Liverpool teammate Luis Diaz’s standout performances.
They criticised him for being too passive on Bayern Munich’s opening goal, although much of the blame went to goalkeeper Andriy Lunin. More notably, they highlighted his failure to keep track of Harry Kane, who scored Bayern’s second.
Going forward, Alexander-Arnold did better pushing to the byline and delivering dangerous low crosses, but his defensive reliability remains his biggest challenge.
Some thought playing in Spain might help mask or improve his defensive issues, yet that doesn’t seem to have happened.
Back at Liverpool, he frequently faced criticism for slow reactions defensively, although those claims were often exaggerated.
KYLIAN MBAPPé FIT FOR MUNICH; REAL MADRID EYE ANOTHER LEGENDARY CHAMPIONS LEAGUE REVERSAL
Kylian Mbappé is fit! Real Madrid face Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena. See the full UCL lineup and Arbeloa's plan.
The second leg of the Champions League quarterfinal between Real Madrid and Bayern Munich kicks off on Wednesday at the Allianz Arena, and now Kylian Mbappe’s injury status is clear.
Madrid trails 2-1 on aggregate after losing to Bayern at home at the Bernabeu last week, with Mbappe grabbing their only goal late in the match.
What happened to Mbappe? Last Friday against Girona, he took a nasty hit to the face from Vitor Reis. Blood everywhere, a deep cut, and in the end, stitches across his forehead.
People worried about a concussion, but Mbappe got cleared for Sunday’s training. He showed up with a big bandage on his head, looking ready to go to Munich. Still, he skipped the next day’s session, resting up because he was sore, but Madrid said he could travel, and by Tuesday, he was back on the Allianz Arena pitch with the team.
Madrid’s official update: Mbappe took part in multiple drills, joined in tactical exercises, and finished up with some shooting drills. He looked comfortable.
So, here’s where things stand for the Bayern match: Fabrizio Romano says Mbappe will play. Not just available, he’s expected to start for Alvaro Arbeloa, with Jude Bellingham also back in the eleven.
Bellingham has returned for Madrid’s last three games after a long injury spell and started against Girona. He knows Bayern well, having played against them during his Borussia Dortmund days.
Mbappe and Bellingham are both fit for Munich, but Madrid will miss Rodrygo, Thibaut Courtois, and Raul Asensio due to injuries. Plus, Aurelien Tchouameni is suspended after picking up his third yellow card of the tournament in the first leg.
Still, Arbeloa has options he can turn to Federico Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga, Thiago Pitarch, or Dani Ceballos to fill Tchouameni’s spot.
Looking ahead to the match, Arbeloa sounds confident, especially now that Mbappé is fit.
“We’re Real Madrid. If there’s one team that comes to this stadium and turns things around, it’s us,” Arbeloa said. “We never give up. We’ve got 15 European Cups. Whether we go through with our badge or on top of it, we’ll fight. And honestly, we don’t need miracles. We could’ve won the first leg; nothing crazy about that.”
Madrid has a good history in Munich; they haven’t lost at the Allianz Arena in their last four trips. They won in 2014, 2017, and 2018; then their most recent clash was a 2-2 draw in the Champions League semi-final first leg earlier this year.
Now, with Mbappé and Bellingham ready, Madrid’s out to flip the script against Bayern just like they’ve done so many times before.
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