Liverpool open talks to sign Borussia Dortmund ace in huge clue second deal is OFF

Liverpool have held initial and ‘positive’ talks over the signing of a Borussia Dortmund star in a potential clue a second deal is NOT happening.

Liverpool splashed the cash over the summer, twice breaking the British transfer record with moves for Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak.

The Reds presided over a near-perfect window, with only the deadline day failure to sign Marc Guehi blotting their copybook.

Giovanni Leoni’s ACL injury has put that transfer miss in greater focus, though Liverpool have maintained their interest in Guehi who’ll leave Crystal Palace via free agency next summer.

But with high-powered suitors like Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Real Madrid all circling – Bayern have already opened talks with Guehi’s camp – Liverpool are forming back-up plans.

Ironically, Bayern’s Dayot Upamecano is on Liverpool’s radar, and according to a fresh update from DaveOCKop, so too is Nico Schlotterbeck.

The Borussia Dortmund centre-back, 25, has been named in three of the last four Bundesliga teams of the season. He’s racked up 22 caps for Germany over the past four years and Liverpool are suitably impressed.

The report claimed Liverpool hold ‘serious’ interest in the left-footer and as such, they’ve opened ‘dialogue’ with Schlotterbeck’s representatives regarding a transfer in 2026. The early dialogue is said to have been ‘positive’.

Isak saga hints at Guehi miss

At a time late in the summer window where the Isak saga had appeared to ground to a halt, Fabrizio Romano revealed Liverpool had resisted the temptation to open talks with alternative strikers.

Liverpool were of the belief Isak was the perfect player to sign and if a move hadn’t transpired, the Reds would not have signed an alternative striker have already banked Hugo Ekitike.

In Guehi’s case, Liverpool are already making noise around both Upamecano and now Schlotterbeck. The signs are beginning to suggest the Reds may miss out on Guehi for a second time.

TEAMtalk recently learned Guehi is treating Liverpool the same as every other suitor who knocks on his door, despite agreeing personal terms with the club and even passing a medical in the summer.

It’s important to stress Guehi remains Liverpool’s favoured option at centre-back. Furthermore, if Ibrahima Konate leaves when his own contract expires in the summer, the Reds might require two additions at centre-half anyway.

Nevertheless, Liverpool don’t appear to be treating the Guehi situation in the same manner they did the Isak situation.

For Isak it was him or bust. For Guehi, Liverpool are already exploring – and opening talks for – alternatives.

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In other news, Arne Slot has been given two ideas on what changes to make after the international break from the Netherlands’ 4-0 mauling of Malta – in which four Reds players starred.

Elsewhere, Slot’s agent is working on securing her client a contract extension at Anfield. TEAMtalk has taken a deep dive into whether the Dutchman is actually deserving of a new deal.

READ MORE: How Arne Slot compares to Liverpool’s best managers as journalist bites back at claims boss has ‘fluked it’