Speaking to Ruhr Nachrichten, Watzke acknowledged the clause for the first time and framed it as a pragmatic solution to a situation the club had to manage carefully. Schlotterbeck's previous deal was set to expire in 2027, meaning Dortmund faced the prospect of entering the coming season with their captain in the final year of his contract. That, Watzke said, was a scenario the club wanted to avoid at all costs.
The new agreement runs until 2031, but contains a release clause of between 50 and 60 million euros that is valid for a limited number of clubs and only until around mid-July. Real Madrid and Liverpool are among those reported to be eligible to trigger it, according to Sport Bild. Bayern Munich are not. Watzke's argument is straightforward: by agreeing to the clause, Dortmund secured a significantly higher fee than they could have expected from a sale with one year left on the old deal, while also buying themselves planning certainty.
Germany legend Lothar Matthäus, speaking on Sky Germany, made the same calculation. He put the difference at roughly 25 to 30 million euros compared to what Dortmund might have received under the previous contract structure.
Not everyone has been persuaded. Former Dortmund defender Jürgen Kohler described the clause as incompatible with genuine commitment to the club, and sections of the support booed Schlotterbeck during last Saturday's 0-1 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen. Dortmund managing director Carsten Cramer later condemned the reaction, saying it was not appropriate for a Dortmund player to be treated that way.
Watzke pushed back firmly against the criticism, arguing that release clauses are now standard practice across elite European football. Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and other major clubs all operate within the same reality, he said.