Mick Brown has told Football Insider that Chelsea have registered their interest in Borussia Dortmund's 25-year-old German defender Schlotterbeck, who could be available for a cut-price next summer due to his contract expiring in 2027. Mick Brown stated: "Schlotterbeck is somebody I’ve seen a fair bit of. At first I had a few concerns about his lack of pace, but he has got better and better and turned himself into a very capable defender. He’s a dominant centre-back, a regular for Germany, and a very defensive option who likes to win tackles, win headers and take charge of the back line." Mick Brown also said: "I think he’s exactly the type of player Chelsea need, because I’ve heard they’ve been having a look at him. They need to improve in defence because their current options aren’t good enough, it’s harsh but I think that’s been proven already this season." Mick Brown further commented: "He would certainly be an improvement on what they’ve got at the moment, and it might not be easy to get him because Dortmund won’t want to lose him, but he’s somebody they seem to have identified who could improve their defence. If they’ve done the work and done their due diligence, I can see them making a move for him." In addition to Chelsea's interest, Newcastle United have also been linked with the player, who has a current market value of €40.00m according to Transfermarkt.