Nico Schlotterbeck is probably going to leave SC Freiburg with Newcastle United keen to bring the £17 million Germany international to the Premier League, the Bundesliga club’s sporting director tells Sky Deutschland.
Schlotterbeck owes Kevin Trapp a stein or two.
It was all going so well for the bleach blonde centre-back, making just his debut for the German national team in a friendly clash with Israel last week. That was, of course, until Schlotterbeck took his eye off the ball – literally and metaphorically – coughing up possession inside his own penalty area before giving away the most avoidable of spot kicks.
Fortunately, Trapp guessed right, keeping his sheet clean and letting his red-faced team-mate off the hook.
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Mistakes like this have been few and far between for Schlotterbeck in recent months however. There is a reason why the £17 million-rated colossus is reportedly on the radar of not just Newcastle United but also Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich (90Min).
Is Nico Schlotterbeck joining Newcastle United?
The epitome of the ‘modern-day centre-half’, Schlotterbeck is an impressive with the ball as he is without it. He’s even scored four Bundesliga goals for high-flying Freiburg, including a 25-yard screamer against Wolfsburg in March.
“I’m a realist. I rate the chances of Nico staying here as relatively low,” sighs Klemens Hartenbach, Freiburg’s sporting director.
“If the best things come together, if we really achieve the very best this year and maybe there isn’t a club that really reaches for Nico and that suits him, then there is a chance (he will stay).”
Schlotterbeck is loving life at Freiburg but the man himself admits that the time for a new adventure may be approaching.
22-year-old Schlotterbeck is open to testing himself in English football. Furthermore, the former Union Berlin loanee said just last week that a summer departure is now ‘very likely’.
Newcastle could step up their pursuit of Schlotterbeck with Sven Botman – a player they have made at least two bids for since the turn of the year – closing in on a move to Serie A leaders AC Milan.
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