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Real Madrid concede defeat to Liverpool in race for top transfer target
Martin Macdonald
- 18 Oct 2025 09:01 CDT
- 4 min read
News
Real Madrid have reportedly conceded that one of their top defensive transfer targets is going to Liverpool next year which could see them ramp up their interest in Ibrahima Konate.
The Spanish giants are expected to heavily pursue at least one defender next summer, particularly Konate and Dayot Upamecano, who will both be available on a free transfer when their contracts expire at the end of the season.
Madrid will be competing with Liverpool for many of the top names on the market, with Arne Slot’s side also desperate to add depth and quality to their backline, and one player whom the duo will reportedly battle for is Nico Schlotterbeck.
Current ETV
Nico Schlotterbeck
D (C)
Dortmund
Nico Schlotterbeck
D (C)
Dortmund
ETV Range
€31.7M - €38.7M
Schlotterbeck’s contract at Dortmund is set to expire in 2027 and the German side have admitted that he could leave the club in the near future, leading to significant interest from many sides including Manchester City and Bayern Munich.
But, according to Defensa Central, Liverpool are set to move for Schlotterbeck as a replacement for Konate and their focus on the German international has led Madrid to accept that they have ‘definitively lost’ the player to the Premier League outfit amid previous reports that they have already made contact with the player.
However, the news reportedly ‘confirms the operation’ for Konate, despite reports that Liverpool are growing in optimism that they can convince the Frenchman to sign a last-minute contract extension at Anfield.
Dortmund hoping for quick resolution to Schlotterbeck saga
Liverpool are keen to add a defender to their ranks in January and they could move for Marc Guehi after the England international told Crystal Palace that he would leave on a free transfer next summer, although Madrid are also interested in the 25-year-old.
A move for Schlotterbeck is said to be more feasible next summer rather in January, even with Dortmund sporting director Lars Ricken admitting that they do not wish to drag out the situation.
"He has every right to plan his future carefully. We respect that,” Ricken said. “I think the priority shouldn't be salary, but prospects, confidence, and conviction.
“We won't rush things. But, of course, we don't want to drag it out indefinitely, everyone knows that.”
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