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Parshva Shah

'A better defender than me!' - Nico Schlotterbeck hails partnership with Jonathan Tah as Borussia Dortmund & Bayern Munich stars shine for Julian Nagelsmann

Nico Schlotterbeck has hailed his German national team-mate and fellow centre-back Jonathan Tah as a "better defender" than him and explained why the duo make such a good pairing for Julian Nagelsmann's side. Bayern Munich are reportedly keeping tabs on Schlotterbeck's situation at Borussia Dortmund, where his contract expires in 2027, and could move to unite the pair at club level.

  • Tah and Schlotterbeck: Germany's reliable defensive duo

    The duo started and played the full 90 minutes in Germany's hard-fought 1-0 win over Northern Ireland in a World Cup qualifying clash on Monday. That display came in the wake of their solid 4-0 triumph against Luxembourg and Schlotterbeck has been waxing lyrical about the centre-back partnership, adding further weight to recent speculation suggesting that Bayern have set their sights on signing the 25-year-old.  

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    Dortmund defender praises his Bayern counterpart

    Speaking to reporters at a press conference on Monday, Schlotterbeck said: "I've known Jona for a few years now and I'm always happy to play with him. We complement each other well. 

    "Jona is very communicative on the pitch and simply important to me. Defensively, he has been a very strong defender for years now and has done extremely well. For me, the ball-playing aspect is perhaps a bit more interesting than for him. He's perhaps a better defender, though. That's why it's a good fit."

  • Future of Bayern's defence currently uncertain

    There are several question marks over the long-term future of Bayern Munich's backline. Next year, first-choice centre-back Dayot Upamecano's contract will expire and reports suggest the Frenchman is demanding a salary hike that would see him earn around €17 million (£15m/$20m) per year, which Die Roten are unwilling to match. Upamecano will be free to negotiate a pre-contractual agreement in January, with Real Madrid expressing interest. The Bavarians have started preparing for the worst case scenario, as Marc Guehi – who is set to leave Crystal Palace as a free agent next summer – already finding himself on the Bundesliga giants' radar.

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    Dortmund determined to keep hold of Schlotterbeck

    Schlotterbeck's current deal expires in 2027. Earlier this month, Sky reported that Dortmund were planning on offering a new deal to their 'future captain' until 2030. What's more, it is understood that Die Schwarzgelben are ready to more than triple the star defender's wages. Schlotterbeck currently earns  €2.5 million, but a potential new contract could see him pocket around €9m, including bonuses related to performance criteria. 

    Despite "great appreciation on both sides", Schlotterbeck has made it clear that he won't "extend my contract anytime soon."