Borussia Dortmund’s chase is back on, and Liverpool will be watching. Dortmund’s 3-0 win at Union Berlin on Saturday did more than deliver three points.
It came on a day Bayern Munich slipped at Augsburg, which tightened the title picture again and raised the value of players who can decide games at both ends.
Nico Schlotterbeck was one of them. The centre-back scored, kept a clean sheet, and looked fully in control after a difficult week that included a Champions League defeat at Tottenham Hotspur.
In a season where Dortmund have leaned heavily on defensive stability, his importance is obvious.
He has been central to a back line that has stacked up clean sheets, and his knack for goals is rising at the same time.
That is why the timing matters. Contract talks are not happening in a quiet period.
They are happening with Dortmund trying to close a gap at the top, and with elite clubs across Europe tracking the best defenders.
DaveOCKOP exclusively revealed that Liverpool held talks in October with representatives of Nico Schlotterbeck, with the club registering a strong interest in the Borussia Dortmund defender.
From a Liverpool point of view, this is the type of situation that can open doors in summer.
A player hits peak form, a deadline is set, and the market starts moving around him.
After the match, Schlotterbeck confirmed to Sky Germany he has already set his own timeline.
“I’ve set a personal deadline for myself. I won’t say when it is. Definitely before the summer, though.”
He also spoke about his fitness and his freedom to contribute more.
“I’m happy that we won,” Schlotterbeck said.
“After my knee injury, I was barely allowed to go forward. Now I can, and I had a top-quality chance – I hit the ball well, I’m happy about that.”
Schlotterbeck showed respect to Union Berlin, where he previously spent time. “I had my breakthrough year at Union,” he said.
“I think this is their toughest away game of the season – it’s always a strong fight here. I wish the Union players all the best for the rest of the season.”
His celebration also had a story.
“I had a long time during my injury to build more muscle, so now I’m showing it off in the goal celebrations,” he joked.
On the bigger decision, he admitted it is not straightforward. “I feel comfortable here,” he continued. “It won’t be an easy decision. I’m a gut-feeling kind of guy.”
“I’ll sit down with Dad and [brother] Keven and then make a decision. I don’t quite know right now how it’ll turn out.” He then repeated the theme later.
“I’ve set a personal deadline, which I won’t reveal. When I make the decision… well, it’s a gut feeling. I don’t know yet how it will turn out,” he admitted.
“I’ve always said I feel comfortable here. But it’s a difficult situation, and I don’t want to put unnecessary pressure on myself.”
Schlotterbeck also linked the result to the title race, pointing to Bayern’s slip.
“I’ve always said, because of the race with Bayern, I don’t want it decided in March. If they slip up, like today against Augsburg – they played a great game – we have to be there.”
“Today we were there, now the gap is a little smaller. Let’s see what happens next.”
🚨⚫️🟡 Nico Schlotterbeck über seine Zukunft: „Ich habe für mich persönlich eine Deadline gesetzt. Wann die ist, nenne ich aber nicht. Definitiv aber vor Sommer. Ich fühle mich wohl hier. Es wird keine leichte Entscheidung“, sagt er eben bei uns am Sky Tisch.
„Ich bin…
— Patrick Berger (@berger_pj) January 24, 2026
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