Story byReal Madrid’s strong relationship with Bundesliga giants could pave the way for defensive signingMadrid UniversalMon, March 2, 2026 at 8:25 AM UTC·2 min readReal Madrid have been scanning the transfer market for some time in search of potential reinforcements at centre-back. David Alaba will leave this summer when his contract expires and it remains to be seen whether Antonio Rudiger might do the same, depending on how his body responds between now and the end of the season. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWilliam Saliba was on the agenda but renewed with Arsenal, as Dayot Upamecano did with FC Bayern Munich. Ibrahima Konate is out of contract at Liverpool but does not convince. The name now gaining the most strength is that of Nico Schlotterbeck, the 26-year-old German centre-back whose contract with Borussia Dortmund runs until June 2027. Real Madrid and Dortmund have a strong relationshipBorussia Dortmund are always a difficult club with whom to negotiate and Schlotterbeck is a highly valued player at Signal Iduna Park. However, according to AS, Real Madrid start with a certain advantage thanks to the excellent relationship between the two clubs, built over many years. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHans-Joachim Watzke, the former Dortmund CEO for two decades and the current club president, considers himself a personal friend of Real Madrid chief Florentino Perez and general director Jose Angel Sanchez. Schlotterbeck a target for Real Madrid. (Photo by Boris Streubel/)Even during moments of disagreement, such as over the Super League issue, that relationship did not falter and is expected to continue forward. The relationship has produced positive outcomes in both directions.