Real Madrid’s long-standing links with Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck appear to have reached a dead end for this summer, with the German international expected to remain at the Bundesliga club.
According to Bild, a move away from Dortmund during the current transfer window is no longer on the table. The report states that a release clause which could have opened the door to a transfer has now expired, effectively ending any possibility of Schlotterbeck leaving this summer. The 26-year-old
is under contract with Dortmund until 2031.
Schlotterbeck had frequently been mentioned as a potential option for Real Madrid, but Dortmund have consistently maintained confidence that the defender would continue his long-term future at Signal Iduna Park.
The report does not specify whether any formal approaches arrived from clubs outside Germany, though Dortmund’s stance on keeping the center-back reportedly never changed.
For now, Schlotterbeck’s focus remains on recovering from the ankle injury he sustained during Germany’s second group-stage match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Ivory Coast. The injury has kept him out since the tournament and will continue to sideline him as the new season begins.
Speaking during Borussia Dortmund’s preseason preparations, CEO Lars Ricken provided an update on the defender’s recovery timeline.
“It will still take a few weeks. We’ll see if he can return before or after the first international break, depending on how his recovery progresses.”
The first international break of the new campaign is scheduled for late September, giving Schlotterbeck a potential target for his return to competitive action if his rehabilitation continues as planned.
