“I know who pushed through the clause”: A bombshell claim about Nico Schlotterbeck’s contract extension at BVB

"You don't make a decision like that on your own. I know who pushed for the clause, but I'm not going to say who it was," Matthäus stated on the programme "Sky90 – die Fußballdebatte", adding, "It's someone from Borussia Dortmund."

He added that “four or five people were sitting around the table” and agreed on the clause to secure a positive outcome for both parties. According to Matthäus, the decisive moment came when someone said: “Okay, before he walks out without this release clause and refuses to extend his contract, let’s just give it to him.” 

Schlotterbeck has extended his contract with Dortmund from 2027 to 2031, yet persistent media reports claim he inserted a controversial get-out clause. The defender can depart as early as this summer, immediately after the World Cup, for a pre-agreed transfer fee. The buyout is reported to range between €50 and €60 million, a fee that only a handful of elite suitors could afford. FC Bayern Munich is explicitly ruled out of the running, according to Bild. 

According to Matthäus, Schlotterbeck has “always been” about “wanting to take the next step. On the other hand, he is also attached to Borussia Dortmund”. The clause now offers a clear path to a move to a club like Real Madrid or a Premier League side. 

For BVB, the arrangement at least provides some planning certainty: “In 2026 they would still receive a transfer fee, but in 2027 they wouldn’t,” Matthäus explained. The 65-year-old also dismissed concerns that Schlotterbeck will switch off mentally. “That’s not true. His heart will be in Dortmund.”

During Saturday’s Bundesliga match against Bayer Leverkusen, BVB supporters in the stands made their disapproval of Schlotterbeck clear with audible boos. Managing director Carsten Cramer later condemned the incident. “As the person in charge, it doesn’t feel right to me, and so I have to say that it’s not on for a Borussia Dortmund player – and that applied to Nico – to be met with boos,” he said, adding: “He is a Borussia Dortmund player who identifies with us. That’s not on.”

The club’s hierarchy declined to discuss contract specifics. Sporting director Ole Book, who succeeded Sebastian Kehl, said: “It is crucial that Nico has sent a clear signal that he wants to stay and has extended his contract here. As already indicated, we will not comment on any details of the contract. That will remain the case, because we have a very strong relationship of trust with the player. We had good and substantive discussions, and I am quite certain that Nico wants to stay with us for a very long time.”