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Niko Kovac claims Nico Schlotterbeck ‘knows what he has’ in Borussia Dortmund

Borussia Dortmund trainer Niko Kovac has voiced his opinion on Nico Schlotterbeck’s BVB contract extension negotiations. Kovac emphasized that the 25-year-old had found his place in the Ruhrpott and – for whatever it’s worth – advised the former Freiburg academy man to remain with die Schwarzgelben.

As evidenced by Kovac’s words on Schlotterbeck directed explicitly at Bundestrainer Julian Nagelsmann, the Dortmund head coach remains quite fond of his centre-back. Schlotterbeck definitely counts as one of the “pet projects” of Kovac’s young tenure.

“He [Schlotterbeck] is highly valued both within the team and by the fans,” Kovac noted in an interview with Sky Germany. “These days, it’s not easy to make yourself so popular with the fans. He has managed to do so with the way he plays football and the way he lives his life. We’re here in the Ruhr Valley, and you need emotion and aggression. He brings that

”It would be nice if he remained here longer,” Kovac continued. “He knows what he has with this club. I think that even when he was injured, he felt that he had full support. Everyone here supported him and we did everything humanly possible to help him move forward. He already has that in mind and he will certainly make the right decision for himself.“