Xaver Schlager is reportedly heading to Nottingham Forest after ending his four-year spell at RB Leipzig, with the move said to be built around a two-year deal and a 12-month option. The medical check is expected to take place this week, underlining how close the transfer is to being completed.
It would be a notable next step for the 28-year-old, who did not extend his contract with RB Leipzig this summer. Instead, he now looks set for the Premier League, where Nottingham Forest are trying to strengthen after finishing 16th last season.
Why Nottingham Forest have moved for Schlager
The report suggests Schlager’s path to the Premier League has been shaped in part by familiarity. Oliver Glasner and Xaver Schlager worked together at VfL Wolfsburg from 2019 to 2021, and Glasner has now joined Nottingham Forest from Crystal Palace in the same summer.
That link matters. When managers arrive at new clubs, they often look for players they already trust, and Schlager appears to fit that pattern. For Forest, the attraction is clear: a midfielder with Bundesliga experience, a recent run at a major European club, and a player who was available because he chose not to renew at RB Leipzig.
A move built on timing and opportunity
The timing also makes sense from Schlager’s side. The report says he wanted to use a strong World Cup to become interesting for other clubs, and that appears to have helped create this opportunity. Rather than stay in place, he is now on course for a fresh challenge in England.
For Nottingham Forest, this would be the sort of signing that speaks to ambition without overstatement. It is not a headline move designed to dominate the conversation, but it is one that could matter inside a squad looking for more control and reliability. If the medical goes as planned this week, the deal will bring an experienced player into a club that needs to improve on last season’s 16th-place finish.
