Borussia Dortmund exploring Nico Schlotterbeck contract extension
Borussia Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl says the club are in a continued dialogue with defender Nico Schlotterbeck over a new deal.
Schlotterbeck has become of the German football's most complete centre-backs since joining Dortmund from Bundesliga rivals Freiburg in summer 2022, making 142 competitive appearances for BVB and becoming a regular at international level for Germany.
The 26-year-old's existing Dortmund contract is due to expire at the end of the 2026/27 season, with talks over a new deal on-going.
"We're trying to convince him with the power this club has, with the appreciation that he feels and with what we want to achieve together. We also want to give him a perspective that makes sense for him," Kehl said ahead the 2025/26 Bundesliga restart.
"But we're not sitting down every day. Things like this need time. He's used the winter break to think things over, but there's no new development yet."
Watch: Pass-master Schlotterbeck
Dortmund return to competitive action with a trip to Eintracht Frankfurt on 9 January. Niko Kovač's side are second in the current Bundesliga standings, having lost just once in the league all season. They're also on course to qualify for the UEFA Champions League knockout phase.
"We're not 100 per cent satisfied, but we have taken a huge step forward. We're in second place, with many good results and many statistics that speak in our favour," Kehl said, before discussing the possibility of new signings during the winter transfer window.
"We've achieved a lot with the coach. That's why we don't necessarily have to make any moves in the winter. At the same time, there are perhaps a few projects we're working on and considering. We still want to be creative, but it's still very early in January."
Kehl also gave an update on senior players Emre Can and Julian Brandt, both of whom will be out of contract in June 2026: "There's mutual trust between all parties, but no decision yet. We're calmly going about talks."
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