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Former Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann has claimed Nico Schlotterbeck would be a “great signing for Liverpool,” as the club continues to be linked with a move for the center-back.
The Reds are short of options at the heart of defense following the season-ending injury Giovanni Leoni suffered against Southampton in September. The Reds tried and failed to sign Marc Guehi over the summer, with Arne Slot clearly keen on the prospect of having five center-backs in his squad.
Now he only has three available: Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, and Joe Gomez. The latter is yet to start a game in the league or Champions this season, while there are long-term concerns about Konate’s future.
Therefore, there have been calls for the Reds to make a defensive addition in January. While Guehi remains the obvious candidate, Liverpool has repeatedly been linked with a move for Borussia Dortmund’s Schlotterbeck
A recent report in Bild claims Bayern Munich is also monitoring the German international, who has stalled on a contract offer from Dortmund and “doesn't want to make a decision until spring.”
The report adds that Schlotterbeck wants to be reassured that Dortmund is capable of competing for silverware at the highest level, while CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has “sought direct talks” with the 25-year-old.
Now, Hamann has called for Liverpool to make a move for Schlotterbeck, who could be the long-term heir to Van Dijk.
“Bayern Munich are stepping up their interest in Nico Schlotterbeck,” Hamann told ESportsBets.com.
“He’s been out with an injury for four or five months and only been back for four or five weeks. He’s a natural leader.
“Liverpool are interested, but you don’t know how long Virgil van Dijk is going to be there.
“The perfect situation would be to bring somebody in who maybe plays with Van Dijk for one or two years and then takes over Van Dijk’s role. I think he’d be a great signing for Liverpool, and a lot of other teams as well.”
Schlotterbeck joined Dortmund from Freiburg in 2022 and has made 132 appearances for the club, but has yet to win any form of silverware.
The defender missed just one game in Dortmund’s Champions League campaign as the German giants made it to the final at Wembley. He has also earned 22 international caps and has become a regular for Julian Nagelsmann’s side.
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