SC Freiburg have reportedly lowered their asking price for star defender and rumoured Newcastle United target Nico Schlotterbeck down to just €20m (£16m).
According to Sport1, the high-flying Bundesliga side have set a new asking price for the 22-year-old German international, with reports over January suggesting that Freiburg would only sell Schlotterbeck for £40m, with Newcastle interested in the centre-back.
The defender has enjoyed a meteoric rise this season with the youngster playing a starring role for Freiburg as the Baden-Wurttemberg-based side currently sit fifth in the Bundesliga standings, with Schlotterbeck also making his breakthrough for the national team.
And his form has caught the eyes of suitors. As per Sport1, Newcastle are keen on Schlotterbeck, with Bayern Munich, naturally, also showing an interest in the young Freiburg star.
Compared to 2014 FIFA World Cup winner Mats Hummels as per Bundesliga.com, Schlotterbeck is a defender who has a lot of potential and could be a starting centre-back for Germany in the near future.
And with this news that Schlotterbeck could be sold for as low as £16m, Newcastle could sense an opportunity to pounce on the Bundesliga side in the summer and sign the defender ahead of the likes of Bayern.
Schlotterbeck will be a coup for Newcastle if they can agree £16m fee
The 22-year-old has been a revelation for Freiburg this season, and for Newcastle, Schlotterbeck could be a coup of a signing for Eddie Howe’s side should the Magpies strike a £16m deal with the German club for the defender.
With the Toon in decent form and now looking likely to stay up in the Premier League this season, building a strong defence will be a good starting point for the northeast side, and Schlotterbeck could be the perfect centre-back to build the backline around.
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