According to BILD, the 28-year-old Austrian international is among the transfer targets Rose is weighing up as he builds his setup on the south coast. Schlager rejected a contract extension at Leipzig in February and will be a free agent when his deal expires this summer, removing any transfer fee from the equation.
The pair have a long-standing working relationship. Schlager and Rose worked together at Red Bull Salzburg's youth academy before linking up again at Leipzig, where Rose managed the club. The two are also represented by the same agent, Andreas Sadlo at ROOF agency, which would smooth any deal considerably.
BILD reports that Schlager is one of Rose's favourite players and that the two hold each other in high regard — factors that make Bournemouth a genuine option for the midfielder.
Rose will already be reunited with several former Leipzig figures at Bournemouth. Tyler Adams and Justin Kluivert are both at the club, as is club doctor Percy Marshall, who is understood to have been the figure who recommended Rose to Bournemouth's hierarchy in the first place.
Rose's assistants Alexander Zickler and Marco Kurth are also expected to follow him to the south coast, though that has not yet been confirmed.
Schlager's availability on a free transfer makes the deal low-risk for a Bournemouth side that has been built on smart recruitment. The club's incoming head coach is set to replace Andoni Iraola ahead of the 2026-27 season.