Barcelona’s management has decided against pursuing Borussia Dortmund’s center-back Nico Schlotterbeck this summer, after coach Hansi Flick deemed the German unsuitable for his different defensive style.
Schlotterbeck’s contract with Dortmund expires at the end of the current season, and he has attracted interest from several major European clubs, most notably Real Madrid. Barça were among the first to monitor the 25-year-old, especially given the Catalan club’s desire to sign a left-footed defender.
According to the newspaper “Sport,” Barcelona greatly admires Schlotterbeck’s abilities, and the player himself has a close relationship with Flick since the coach gave him his first opportunity to play for the German national team. However, some technical reservations led Deco and his entourage to prefer exploring other options.
The biggest reservation about Schlotterbeck is his lack of pace, which raises serious doubts about his ability to adapt to Flick’s preferred high-pressing defensive style and makes him a potential weakness rather than an asset for the Catalan club.
Undoubtedly, financial considerations also contributed to Barcelona’s preference for other options. With Real Madrid and Bayern Munich showing strong interest in Schlotterbeck, it became clear that the Catalan giants couldn’t afford to offer him a comparable salary. Therefore, there was no point in wasting time on a deal that was unlikely to materialize, and even if it did, its technical success was highly questionable.
It’s worth noting that the German newspaper Bild previously reported that Schlotterbeck preferred a move to Real Madrid over any other available club. In recent days, Liverpool has also entered the race for the German international, especially given the confirmed departure of Ibrahima Konaté at the end of the current season.
