Liverpool transfer news: Reds target warned by Bundesliga club over 'dragging out' contract talks

Liverpool target Nico Schlotterbeck has been sent a contract warning from current club Borussia Dortmund.

The 25-year-old is one of the top defenders in the Bundesliga, attracting interest from clubs around Europe, including the Premier League-winning Reds.

Schlotterbeck has started three matches in the German top flight during 2025-26, playing a total of 270 minutes for the Bundesliga challengers.

The centre-back is also a consistent contributor on the international stage, featuring in Germany's fixtures against Luxembourg and Northern Ireland this month.

Since his summer 2022 switch from fellow Bundesliga outfit Freiburg, Schlotterbeck has featured on 128 occasions for Dortmund, scoring six goals.

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"Drag it out indefinitely" - Dortmund send Schlotterbeck message

Speaking to German outlet BILD, Borussia Dortmund director Lars Ricken provided an update on the situation of Schlotterbeck at Signal Iduna Park.

"It is his absolute right to plan his future carefully. We respect that and I believe that the focus should not be on salary, but on prospects, trust and conviction,” said Dortmund higher-up Ricken.

"We will not rush into anything but of course, we do not want to drag it (Schlotterbeck contract talks) out indefinitely, everyone is aware of that.”

It is understood that Dortmund have offered the defender a new deal which would see his salary treble into the region of £6.9m annually.

However, Schlotterbeck is supposedly dragging his heels in negotiations, amid reported interest in his services from Liverpool and Bayern Munich.

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Van Dijk successor?

Despite recently signing a new contract at Anfield, Van Dijk is undoubtedly approaching the back-end of his time with Liverpool in the Premier League.

The Dutchman's influence on Merseyside is unlikely to be matched by a single arrival, but the Reds will have to replace the towering centre-back eventually.

At 25 years of age, Schlotterbeck is heading towards the prime years of his career and could become an Anfield legend of the future.