Arne Slot and Liverpool will surely be looking back at the summer transfer window of 2024 with some regret for not making enough reinforcements and bolstering the squad depth. As the campaign has gone on, the Reds have started feeling the effects of not having enough options for rotation.
Slot is definitely going to look at the upcoming summer and identify potential targets who can either improve the starting XI or the squad.
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The Dutch coach also has the contractual situations of Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold to contend with.
The trio all see their contracts expiring at the end of the campaign and none of them seem remotely close to putting pen to paper on a new contract. Should they end up leaving the club, Liverpool will need to reinforce in all three positions and the center-back in particular has to be a priority.
Last week, we covered a story from BILD about Liverpool being linked with Dortmund center-back, Nico Schlotterbeck, and did a statistical analysis on why he might be one player who is best suited to move to Anfield.
Now, as per an update provided by BILD [image attached at the end], Dortmund are planning to offer Schlotterbeck a new contract beyond 2027 with a significant salary and the promise of being given the captain’s armband to convince him to turn down Liverpool and other suitors.
The German source state that Schlotterbeck has a market value of £33.5m and is certainly not short of interest with European giants like Barcelona, Real Madrid, Arsenal, and Newcastle United also vying for his signature.
Thus, it will be an uphill battle for the German club to convince him to stay at the Signal Iduna Park. The 25-year-old earns five million euros a season and BvB plan to double the salary.
The ideal fit
As covered earlier, should Van Dijk leave the club on a free transfer at the end of the season, there aren’t many players who can even come close to filling the Dutchman’s shoes. However, Schlotterbeck has the potential to be that player.
Even if the club captain was to extend his deal, he can play on the right with Schlotterbeck on the left, which is his natural side. This would create more passing angles from the back to further enhance Liverpool’s build-up.
It is not often that a player feels as perfect a fit for a club as Schlotterbeck does at Liverpool. It remains to be seen if the Reds manage to convince him to move to Merseyside to continue his career and let’s wait and see how it plays out.
