Liverpool are among the club who have been linked with Borussia Dortmund’s Nicol Schlotterbeck.
Jacquet will become the second most expensive defender in Liverpool’s history when he makes his move from Rennes at the end of the season. The club have only paid more for Virgil van Dijk when it comes to their backline. In fairness, the £75 million splashed out on Van Dijk in January 2018 has proven to be a bargain.
But Liverpool’s spending when it comes to strengthening their rearguard might not stop at Jacquet. It’s an area of the squad that will need some more attention should Ibrahima Konate depart at the end of his contract. What’s more, Joe Gomez sees his contract expire in 2027 and he could well decide to move on for more regular game-time.
Indeed, Liverpool’s planning for life after Van Dijk has very much begun. Slot has admitted it and Jacquet is just one part of the puzzle. In the January transfer window, the Reds signed Mor Talla Ndiaye for £1 million while Ifeanyi Ndukwe will arrive for pre-season. Yet with both being aged 18, they will require nurturing to potentially become first-team players.
And while the Reds hold Giovanni Leoni in the highest regard, having spent £26 million last summer, the 19-year-old is battling back from a ruptured ACL. Leoni has yet to make his Premier League debut. Patience will be required.
While Jacquet has potential in abundance, what the Reds can heed from the arrivals of Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez and Jermie Frimpong is that a period of adaptation may be necessary. . And while Slot suggested Van Dijk could well stay at Anfield beyond his contract, which expires in 2027, he turns 35 in July. If the captain does extend his stay, rotation to prolong the Netherlands international could be something looked at
The Borussia Dortmund centre-half is just entering his peak years at 26. Schlotterbeck has less than 18 months remaining on his Dortmund contract and is yet to make a decision on his next move.
"I've set a personal deadline for myself,” he said after a 3-0 win over Union Berlin last month. “I won't say when it is. Definitely before the summer, though."
Should Schlotterbeck opt that his future lies elsewhere, Dortmund could look to cash in on the Germany international rather than risk losing him for free in 2027. Schlotterbeck would be available for a cut price and will likely have his queue of suitors.
According to stats compiled by WhoScored, Schlotterbeck is the best-performing central defender in Europe’s top-five divisions this season. He has an average match rating of 7.38, which put him above Van Dijk (7.00) and Ibrahima Konate (6.96). Schlotterbeck has made 16 appearances in the Bundesliga, scoring three times and creating two. Dortmund are not completely out of the title race as they sit six points behind Bayern Munich.
The former SC Freiburg has averaged 2.1 tackles, 4.5 interceptions per game this season, which trumps Van Dijk (1 tackle and 4.4 interceptions) and Konate (1 tackle and 4.3 interceptions).
Although Schlotterbeck will be in the final year of his BVB deal, he will still cost a decent fee. Dortmund may look at Marc Guehi’s situation last summer when Crystal Palace demanded £35 million.
Liverpool, if they are interested in Schlotterback, would have to weigh up whether the funds are worth spending, especially as they may need another left-back to replace Andy Robertson, whose contract concludes in June, a new right-winger to add competition for Mo Salah (or a possible replacement if he leaves) and an out-and-out defensive midfielder.
But what cannot be denied is that Schlotterbeck is among Europe’s premium centre-backs. While he has not played in the Premier League, he is accustomed to playing in the Champions League and at the highest international stage. It will be intriguing to see if Liverpool make a move.
Continue Reading