Juventus Plotting Swoop For 49-Cap Player Likened To Bastian Schweinsteiger
Schlager's RB Leipzig contract is set to expire next summer.
Giuseppe Labellarte
Updated on 16 December 2025
Juventus have set their sights on a move for RB Leipzig midfielder Xaver Schlager next summer.
Juventus plotting free transfer swoop for Xaver Schlager
The Bianconeri are planning a midfield revamp in 2026 and are reportedly eyeing numerous big-name players.
For instance, the likes of Sandro Tonali and Leon Goretzka have been linked with a move to the Allianz Stadium.
Now, Gianluca Di Marzio has reported that Juventus are tracking Schlager with a view to potentially signing him at the end of the season.
The 49-cap Austria international will see his Leipzig contract expire on June 30, 2026.
Schlager has 134 Bundesliga appearances to his name, but is not a guaranteed starter under Ole Werner at present.
If Leipzig allow the 28-year-old’s contract to expire, then Juve will look to pounce on him.
Schlager, born in 1997, is a versatile midfielder who can play centrally or as a holding midfielder.
Leipzig signed him from Wolfsburg in 2022, and he has been a key player for much of his time at Leipzig, though he has slipped down the pecking order.
Schlager boasts an impressive winning background, including league titles with Salzburg and cups with Leipzig.
He has 49 Austria caps, and this season he has made 10 Bundesliga appearances, scoring once against Werder Bremen in November.
Juventus see him as a depth-and-balance option, rather than a marquee signing, capable of fitting multiple midfield shapes.
Schlager ‘capable of running the midfield’ like Bastian Schweinsteiger
Bundesliga.com likens Schlager to Bastian Schweinsteiger, praising his capacity to “run the midfield” and control tempo from deep.
The scouting profile highlights his ball-winning edge, noting 428 challenges won in 2020/21, among the Bundesliga’s best totals.
It also points to his pressing intensity, with Schlager averaging around 27 pressures per match even in an injury-affected season.
“Think of a modern, German box-to-box midfielder and you would have to think of Bastian Schweinsteiger,” wrote the Bundesliga website.
“The former Bayern Munich and Manchester United man was the beating heart of the Germany national team from 2004 to 2014, when he crowned his career with victory at the World Cup.
“Like Bastian Schweinsteiger, Schlager is capable of running the midfield.
“Comfortable on the ball, creative and a playmaker par excellence, ‘Schweini’s’ venomous shot from distance meant he also chipped in with his fair share of – largely spectacular – goals.
“Schlager shares Schweini’s uncanny ability to set the tone from a deep-lying position and make wise moves into space, opening opponents up and creating gaps for his teammates to exploit.”
Schlager also boasts impressive resilience, having returned from two ACL ruptures in recent seasons.
The next steps depend on Leipzig. They’ll either renew his contract and shut the door on suitors, or risk losing a top midfielder for nothing.
Giuseppe Labellarte
Giuseppe Labellarte is a sports journalist with over a decade of professional experience in the industry. His main professional expertise is in soccer. Prior to joining FootItalia, he worked for the likes of Sports Mole, TBR Football, the Chelsea Chronicle and numerous other sites, along with having bylines in the likes of the Nottingham Post. He holds degrees in Journalism and International Relations.
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