Getting the 25-year-old central defender to extend his deal, which runs out next summer, is a top priority for Dortmund. However, with the likes of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, and Liverpool keeping tabs on the German international, BVB are also preparing for the worst-case scenario. 

Premier League Replacement

BVB have identified Chelsea’s Axel Disasi as a potential replacement should Schlotterbeck leave next summer. 

The 27-year-old is surplus to requires at Chelsea and isn’t even training with the first team as it stands. Although Chelsea paid €45m for the Frenchman in 2023, he’ll be available for much less given the lack of playing time. What’s more, his €5m yearly salary is well within Dortmund’s financial range. 

Disasi has previously played under current BVB head coach Niko Kovač during his time at AS Monaco. Now, a reunion could be on the cards should Schlotterbeck leave, or even if Niklas Süle leaves the club when his deal also runs out in the summer of 2026. 

GGFN | Jamie Allen

The striker’s previous clause was worth between €65-70m and was only a select number of clubs were able to activate it. Barcelona have previously been linked with a move for Guirassy as a replacement for former Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski. 

However, it was never activated and expired, but Guirassy is said to have a similar clause in his contract that will be valid next summer. The expected price for the 29-year-old will be lower than the price of the previous clause.

Clubs from Saudi Arabia are not included in the clause, meaning if one of the clubs showed an interest in Guirassy, they would have to negotiate with Dortmund, and the Bundesliga side would likely demand a high fee for their talisman.

Dortmund’s best player: 

Since joining from Stuttgart in 2024 for €18m, Guirassy has been an immediate hit. In 44 games for die Schwarzgelben, the striker has 44 goals and 12 assists. At times, the Guienan is singlehandedly carrying Dortmund in games, and last season, he managed to win the Champions League top scorer award.  

GGFN | Jack Meenan

Guerreiro’s current Bayern contract expires at the end of this season. The 31-year-old has made just four league appearances for the German record champions this season, all off the bench. Bayern may be keen to cash in on Guerreiro, who does maintain an estimated market value of €8m.

Despite his ability to work as a left back, defensive midfielder, and even as a No. 10, FCB head coach Vincent Kompany doesn’t appear to have much use for the Portuguese international this year. Once Alphonso Davies and Jamal Musiala return from injury, it’s even less likely that he will get playing time. 

Should Guerreiro depart German football, it will mark the end of a very significant era for both the player and the Bundesliga. Guerreiro has made 209 German top flight appearances in ten seasons spent playing for the league’s two largest clubs, Bayern and Borussia Dortmund. 

Guerreiro joined Dortmund from Ligue 1 outfit Lorient in the summer of 2016 for just €2.5m. At his peak, the 65-times-capped international was considered a €40m-valued-player. He joined Bayern on a free transfer in the summer of 2023.

Guerreiro has actually never played professionally in his native country. If the Juventus move doesn’t materialize, there will surely be plenty of other outfits across Europe interested in swinging a January transfer. 

GGFN | Peter Weis

As evidenced by Kovac’s words on Schlotterbeck directed explicitly at Bundestrainer Julian Nagelsmann, the Dortmund head coach remains quite fond of his centre-back. Schlotterbeck definitely counts as one of the “pet projects” of Kovac’s young tenure. 

“He [Schlotterbeck] is highly valued both within the team and by the fans,” Kovac noted in an interview with Sky Germany. “These days, it’s not easy to make yourself so popular with the fans. He has managed to do so with the way he plays football and the way he lives his life. We’re here in the Ruhr Valley, and you need emotion and aggression. He brings that

”It would be nice if he remained here longer,” Kovac continued. “He knows what he has with this club. I think that even when he was injured, he felt that he had full support. Everyone here supported him and we did everything humanly possible to help him move forward. He already has that in mind and he will certainly make the right decision for himself.“

GGFN | Peter Weis

It was previously reported that the 25-year-old wants a guaranteed salary of €10m per year, whilst also seeing Dortmund’s progression towards a title-winning team. While Bayern Munich and Real Madrid both monitor the centre-back’s situation. 

BVB’s first offer for their defensive leader was a contract until 2030 with a base salary of €8m, but that could increase with a successful season, as well as Bundesliga bonuses worth €1m. 

It is questionable whether these figures will be enough. However, die Schwarzgelben have not set a deadline for when Schlotterbeck must make a decision, and they intend not to put any pressure on him. 

Dortmund’s plans for Schlotterbeck:

Extending the contract of the central defender will be the main task of sporting director Sebastian Kehl. It has been made clear, repeatedly, that Schlotterbeck is set to be a big player for Dortmund’s future. The 25-year-old is expected to be made the face of the club going forward and will be made captain in the medium term, most likely replacing Emre Can. 

GGFN | Jack Meenan 

Upon his return from his meniscus injury, the talk around Schlotterbeck has been the extension of his contract at the Westfalenstadion. However, it is not a sure thing as first thought, which the defender recently hinted at:

“But to be honest, I don’t think it will be that soon that I’ll extend my contract.”

With an extension, Schlotterbeck wants to become one of the highest-paid players at Dortmund and wants to receive a guaranteed €10m salary. Considering that Niklas Süle earns €14m and his contract is expiring, then Dortmund have the means to do that. 

However, the former Freiburg defender also wants to see die Schwarzgelben show signs of developing into a title-winning team before he commits his long-term future to the club. 

Could Dortmund lose Schlotterbeck?

Naturally, teams are beginning to show interest in Schlotterbeck. Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are two of those teams. But the future of the German international will depend on what happens with Dayot Upamecano, who is engaging in contract talks with the Bundesliga champions. 

Schlotterbeck’s contract at Dortmund does not expire until 2027, but if a deal cannot be agreed upon, then they will likely need to sell their defensive leader this summer. 

GGFN | Jack Meenan

Emre Can, Niklas Süle, Pascal Groß and Julian Brandt’s futures at the Signal Iduna Park are all up in the air as they approach the end of their deals. With all earning a significant salary, Dortmund want to try and reduce their wage bill. 

Dortmund futures revealed:

Can, who is also the captain, is highly regarded by both the club and head coach Niko Kovac. Dortmund are open to extending his deal by another year, but he would have to accept a pay cut. 

Centre-back Süle is Dortmund’s highest earner, and under Kovac, he is still a useful member of the squad. However, the fact that he earns €14m a year is the sticking point. If die Schwarzgelben wishes to extend the contract of the 30-year-old, he will have to take a big salary deduction with a deal that would be more performance-based.

It is likely that this will be Pascal Groß’s last season at the club. Despite him still being important when it comes to his ball-playing ability, he is simply not able to keep up with the pace. At 34 years old, he is no longer a regular in the team. 

Finally, it was previously reported that Brandt is playing for his future. If he maintains his early-season form, then a contract extension at Dortmund is not ruled out. The 29-year-old would like to stay at the club as he still feels comfortable and at home. 

GGFN | Jack Meenan

Mislintat made his name in Germany with Borussia Dortmund, before moving to Arsenal and then Stuttgart as sporting director. In May 2023, Mislintat would join Ajax as their technical director, but would only last 128 days. 

Mislintat’s Ajax sacking:

The reason for his short spell in Amsterdam was due to the signing of Borna Sosa from Stuttgart. The reason it was controversial was that Mislintat was set to benefit financially from the move as the agents of the left-back owned shares in the director’s company. 

On his short spell in the Netherlands, Mislintat said: 

“I was first provisionally and then completely suspended as part of and as a consequence of the allegations. What happened from a sporting perspective: We had a weak start to the season, for which I, as Technical Director, was of course primarily responsible, along with the coach. But to be perfectly clear: two investigations, in the Netherlands that by KPMG and here in Germany that by VfB Stuttgart, came to a clear conclusion: namely, that there was no conflict of interest. Incidentally, I supported both investigations 100 percent. I was completely transparent and disclosed everything. I had absolutely nothing to hide.”

If he has benefited financially:

“No. Let’s go into detail and take it one step at a time: I am one of the five founding members of Matchmetrics. That was over a decade ago. Back then, I contributed my knowledge and received shares for my expertise in professional football. I’ve never worked in operations and to this day have never received any compensation other than access to the objective data. In the following years, but years before I joined Ajax, there were investment rounds to raise money – as is absolutely common for startups. Puma joined as an anchor investor, whose negotiated terms were binding for all subsequent investors. A private individual, AKA Global, and I subsequently acquired shares and the opportunity to purchase Matchmetrics’ services at a significantly reduced price. We are no longer shareholders in the same company. Mind you, a company that provides objective data for professional football and whose clients cover the entire football portfolio: clubs, associations, consultants. Incidentally, Matchmetrics’ structures are publicly available for inspection in the commercial register. I also disclosed my role and involvement to all employers, which was also included in all my employment contracts.”

The transfer of Sosa was ultimately a failure for Ajax, as he only spent one season in Amsterdam before being sent on loan to Torino and later sold to Crystal Palace. 

Following his dismissal as Ajax technical director, Mislintat would later return to Dortmund as technical director. However, his second spell at the Westfalenstadion would also end quickly due to a conflict and power struggle with sporting director Sebastian Kehl. 

GGFN | Jack Meenan

Hamburg Make Mince Meat of Mainz 

Hamburg made it back-to-back home wins as they battered Mainz 05 4-0 on Sunday afternoon. HSV were on top from the first minute and found themselves 2-0 up after just nine minutes thanks to goals from Albert Sambi Lokonga and Rayan Philippe. Philippe would add to his first goal in the second half, bringing his tally for the season to three goals from six games. The forward had a failed move to Mainz in the summer and mocked the situation with his celebration by mimicking a phone call. 

HSV head coach Merlin Polzin opted for a new 3-4-3 formation, and it worked a treat against a side that was so successful last campaign. 

“We’re progressing and one can see that in our play with the ball and against the ball. We’ve more steps to take, but one senses – and this is vitally important – that the team is finding out who they are and the connections are getting better. The players need to feel it on the pitch,” explained Polzin. 

HSV move up to 9th in the Bundesliga, whilst Mainz drop to 16th. 

Bayern Breeze Past Frankfurt

Ahead of this one, it was billed as Bayern’s first big test this season. However, when Bayern went 0-1 up after 17 seconds through Luis Díaz, it was anything but a real test. 

Bayern once again dominated and showed just how powerful their forward line is this season. Vincent Kompany’s side went 0-2 before the break through a Harry Kane curled effort from 20 meters out. If you haven’t seen the goal already, I urge you to take a look. 

Diaz added to his first-half goal late into the second half to make sure that Bayern go six wins from six games in the Bundesliga. 

“I don’t think these games should be used as a yardstick to evaluate the boys right now,” Toppmöller insisted when conducting a post-match interview with Sky Germany after the match. “It’s important for us to know that we still have a little room for improvement in order to compete at this level.”

“No one has been able to keep up with Bayern at their level thus far [this year],” Toppmöller continued, adding special praise for Harry Kane’s distance effort that made it 0-2 in the 27th minute. “That was a typical Bayern goal and Harry Kane’s finish was simply world-class.”

For Frankfurt, it’s now 12 goals conceded in four games in all competitions. There’s no question that Frankfurt have an excellent team, but right now, their defensive displays will be worrying head coach Dino Toppmöller. Bayern stay top as Frankfurt drop out of the European places for the first time this season (7th).  

Dortmund Leipzig Stalemate 

Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig played a rather dull 1-1 draw that was billed as “the battle of the Bayern chasers”. In fact, the final xG stats (Dortmund 0.88, Leipzig 1.05) illustrate that the final scoreline was even a little generous. 

Dortmund remain undefeated this season ahead of their showdown with Bayern after the international break. Leipzig, meanwhile, continue their undefeated run since being battered by Bayern on opening night. 

In truth, both teams will probably be satisfied with the draw as Dortmund and Leipzig stay 2nd and 3rd, respectively. 

Around The Grounds

Elsewhere in the Bundesliga, FC Heidenheim still remains bottom following a 1-0 loss to VfB Stuttgart. The Swabians scored the winner just past the hour mark from time to add even more misery on Frank Schmidt’s side. Heidenheim stay bottom, whilst Stuttgart shoot up into 4th. 

Bayer Leverkusen have put their early-season woes behind them as they go 5th with a 2-0 win against Union Berlin. It’s the first time that B04 has registered back-to-back Bundesliga wins this season as new head coach Kasper Hjulmand looks to be making a positive impact on his squad. 

Borussia Mönchengladbach still remain winless going into the international break after a 0-0 draw against SC Freiburg. Despite that and amid all the administrative turmoil at Borussia Mönchengladbach, interim head coach Eugen Polanski has been given the green light to continue his audition on the sidelines.

There were also wins for FC Köln (0-1 vs TSG Hoffenheim), Werder Bremen (1-0 vs St. Pauli), and FC Augsburg (3-1 vs VfL Wolfsburg). 

GGFN | Jamie Allen

A move to Arsenal beckoned before spells at Stuttgart and Ajax preceded a return to Dortmund in May 2024. But Mislintat’s return to his boyhood club didn’t go as planned with Sportschau claiming that Mislintat’s career ‘has been marked by conflicts’.

Borussia Dortmund’s Power Struggle

During his second spell at the club, Mislintat and Sebastian Kehl were at the centre of a power struggle, resulting in the pair not getting on.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Kicker, the 52-year-old was asked whether or not it was a mistake to sign with Dortmund for a second time.

“I was born in Dortmund. BVB was, is, and will remain my club. I owe BVB an incredible amount, especially for the trust Michael Zorc and Jürgen Klopp placed in me. When I was offered the opportunity to return to Dortmund and sign a long-term contract after my time at Ajax, I considered it an honour and gladly accepted. I was convinced that I would be able to contribute positively to the club after all the experiences I had gained, both positive and negative, at home and abroad since my move in 2017. I was looking forward to working with Matthias Sammer, who also had confidence in me from a very early stage and with Edin Terzic, whom I greatly respect both professionally and personally. I also saw many old faces and friends from my first eleven years at BVB.”

Mislintat was questioned by Kicker journalists Matthias Dersch and Thomas Hennecke about Sportschau’s choice of wording, which suggests that the public’s impression of the former BVB employee is one that asks for trouble.

“I agree with you, that’s how it reads. And I admit that I would prefer other headlines. But I can’t change it. What I can say, however, is: talk to the people I’ve worked with over the last 20 years and who know me well. The direct feedback from the fans is also different. A small example: shortly after I was released from BVB, the home game against Stuttgart was scheduled. I had long in advance bought tickets for friends of ours from Stuttgart, who then stayed overnight with us. I didn’t go the stadium myself, but I drove them there and then stayed in the city, watching the game in a cafe. Not a single fan, whether Stuttgart or Dortmund, insulted me or even gave me a strange look.”

GGFN | Daniel Pinder