Real Madrid poised to hijack top Barcelona target

Barcelona face a nightmare scenario as arch-rivals Real Madrid surge ahead and prepare to hijack their flagship target right at the death.

With Barcelona plotting Hansi Flick’s defensive evolution beyond an ageing backline and Real Madrid seeking to fortify Arbeola’s possession juggernaut amid contract uncertainties for key veterans, this shared pursuit underscores the cutthroat stakes of La Liga’s elite arms race.

Deco had earmarked the versatile defender as a cornerstone for Pau Cubarsí’s long-term partnership.

Still, Madrid’s intensified scouting and direct contacts now position them as frontrunners, threatening to leave the Blaugrana empty-handed in a move dripping with Clasico malice.

That target is Nico Schlotterbeck, the 26-year-old German international whose ball-playing prowess and aerial command have made him Europe’s most coveted left-footed centre-back, as reported by Diario AS.

Valued at €50 million with his Borussia Dortmund deal expiring in 2027, Schlotterbeck’s stalled renewal has alerted suitors, with Madrid leveraging strong Bundesliga ties to accelerate talks.

Barcelona’s interest cooled slightly amid attacking priorities – Dušan Vlahović, Harry Kane, Darwin Núñez – and FFP sales like Marc Casado’s €40m Saudi exit, João Cancelo’s bench woes, and Alejandro Balde’s €60m Inter buzz.

Real Madrid views Schlotterbeck as the missing left-sided piece beside Éder Militão, offering progressive passing and Champions League nous absent since David Alaba’s peak.

Barça sources downplay the threat publicly, favouring Inter’s Alessandro Bastoni or Rayo Vallecano’s Nobel Mendy for quicker integration, yet the hijack stings given youth coups like Ajay Tavares and Lennart Karl monitoring.

Schlotterbeck’s profile suits both: Flick’s high line demands his carry threat, Madrid craves his duels won.

Dortmund’s leverage fades without extension, but Madrid’s financial muscle – buoyed by Mbappé synergies – gives an edge.

This saga crystallises the transfer battlefield: Real Madrid pouncing where Barça pause, turning defensive dreams into derby daggers.