Defender’s €50m Real Madrid clause active this summer in spite of renewal agreement
Defender’s €50m Real Madrid clause active this summer in spite of renewal agreement Real Madrid are planning to sign a new central defender this summer, as they prepare for the expected departure of David Alaba – and the possible one of Antonio Rudiger. Both are out of contract in June, and they will need to be replaced if their place in Alvaro Arbeloa’s squad is freed up. But at this stage, Real Madrid are running out of targets.
They missed out on Marc Guehi and Dayot Upamecano, while Ibrahima Konate is also poised to slip away as he nears a new contract agreement with Liverpool . Also on their radar has been Nico Schlotterbeck, but he has now extended his stay at Borussia Dortmund, as was confirmed earlier this week. But interestingly, that does not mean the door is closed on him signing for Real Madrid this summer.
As per Diario AS , Schlotterbeck’s new contract contains a release clause valued between €50-60m, which is only available to a select few European clubs – and one of them is Los Blancos. Schlotterbeck had not looked likely to sign a new Dortmund deal, which would have opened the door for him to be available for a significantly-reduced fee in the summer, given that his contract was due to expire in 2027. His renewal keeps him at the Bundesliga giants until 2031, although this release clause means that the possible is there for him to leave at any time.
Renewal dents Schlotterbeck’s chances of Real Madrid move While it is appealing for Real Madrid that Schlotterbeck will still be available to them, the fact that he will no longer be available for a cut price means that they are unlikely to move for him in the summer. At 26, he does not fit the club’s transfer policy of recent years, which means that he would only have joined if it was for below his market value, which will no longer be the case. It remains to be seen who Real Madrid opt to sign in the summer, but the chances of Schlotterbeck being their top target has surely reduced compared to a few days ago.