Xaver Schlager Signs Two-Year Deal with Nottingham Forest as Oliver Glasner’s First Summer Capture
Nottingham Forest have completed the signing of Austria international Xaver Schlager on a two-year contract, bringing the experienced midfielder to the Premier League after his RB Leipzig deal expired. Schlager joins manager Oliver Glasner at the City Ground, reuniting with a coach familiar with the Austrian’s profile and profile-building spells in the Bundesliga. (nottinghamforest.news)
Forest Confirm Schlager Signing
Nottingham Forest’s recruitment team moved quickly to secure Schlager on a free transfer, with reports indicating the contract runs until June 2028 with an option for a further year. The capture will be presented as the club’s first substantive midfield addition under new head coach Oliver Glasner as Forest prepare for the 2026–27 campaign. (tribuna.com)
The deal represents low-cost business for Forest given Schlager’s experience in top European leagues, and the club’s announcement followed public confirmation from leading transfer journalists that the medical and formalities had been completed. The move is being framed internally as a signing that adds leadership and Bundesliga-hardened stability to a midfield that Glasner will reshape this summer. (tribuna.com)
Glasner Reunites with a Familiar Midfielder
Oliver Glasner’s arrival at Nottingham Forest earlier this month is widely seen as a pivotal factor in securing Schlager’s signature, with the pair having first linked up during Glasner’s Wolfsburg tenure. Glasner, who was appointed Forest head coach on July 6, 2026, has publicly signalled a desire to bring players to the club who fit his tactical model and character profile. (premierleague.com)
Schlager’s prior experience under Glasner — together with the coach’s reputation for structured, disciplined midfields — helps explain why the Austrian favoured Forest despite reported interest from other European clubs. The reunion is being cast as strategic: Glasner gets a midfielder he trusts, and Schlager receives a clear pathway to a prominent role in the Premier League. (tribuna.com)
Bundesliga Record and Career Overview
Across spells with VfL Wolfsburg and RB Leipzig, Schlager accumulated extensive Bundesliga experience, appearing in roughly 150 league matches over seven seasons and building a reputation as a defensively reliable midfield presence. His career record in Germany includes regular starts, consistent minutes and a profile that has attracted attention from clubs across Europe. (fbref.com)
Schlager moved from Wolfsburg to RB Leipzig in the summer of 2022 for an amount reported at around €12 million, illustrating the market value attached to him at that stage of his career. The transfer fee at the time underscored Schlager’s standing in Germany and his perceived potential to contribute at clubs with continental ambitions. (sport.sky.de)
Recovery from Injury and End-of-Season Form
After a serious injury disrupted his previous season, Schlager returned to form at RB Leipzig and finished the campaign on an upward curve, contributing to Leipzig’s late push that secured qualification for next season’s UEFA Champions League. His return to fitness and minutes was noted by club and league reports as an important factor in Leipzig’s end-of-season results. (bundesliga.com)
Forest will have conducted medical and performance reviews before finalising the free transfer, but the club will be banking on Schlager’s recent resilience and his demonstrated ability to recover and influence big matches. That combination of durability and experience will be central to how Glasner plans to deploy him in pre-season and competitive fixtures. (tribuna.com)
Contract Details and Transfer Background
The agreement for Schlager was completed as a free transfer after he declined to renew his RB Leipzig contract, allowing Forest to sign the midfielder without a transfer fee. Journalists close to the negotiations reported that the deal includes a two-year commitment with an option to extend, giving both player and club flexibility. (tribuna.com)
Nottingham Forest’s approach follows a pattern of targeting experienced continental players who are immediately ready for Premier League demands without involving heavy transfer outlays. The front-office rationale is to improve squad quality while maintaining financial prudence ahead of the transfer window’s busier weeks. (businessupturn.com)
International Form and World Cup Performance
Schlager arrives at the City Ground fresh from international duty with Austria, having started and played in all four of his country’s matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup before Austria were eliminated by Spain in the Round of 32. His performances at the tournament reinforced his credentials as a player accustomed to high-intensity, high-stakes football. (fbref.com)
Austria’s run to the knockout phase and Schlager’s central role underlined his match fitness and tactical discipline, traits that Glasner values in midfielders tasked with protecting the back line and initiating possession transitions. Forest will hope that the international exposure sharpens Schlager’s readiness for the pace and physicality of the Premier League. (fifa.com)
Tactical Role and Expectations at Forest
Tactically, Schlager is expected to operate as a deep-lying or box-to-box midfielder who blends defensive cover with forward progression, a profile that aligns with the structured midblock Glasner favours. His strengths include positional discipline, ball recovery and the capacity to link defence and attack, giving Forest greater stability in the centre of the park. (theanalyst.com)
Glasner’s immediate task will be integrating Schlager into a squad that needs both balance and competition in midfield areas, while managing minutes as pre-season ramps up. The coach’s previous use of disciplined midfield triangles suggests Schlager will be expected to contribute tactically as much as technically. (theguardian.com)
What Schlager Brings Beyond the Numbers
Beyond appearance totals and match logs, Schlager brings leadership, Bundesliga conditioning and a temperament suited to the demands of a club aiming to establish continuity under a new coach. His arrival is likely to influence younger midfielders at Forest, offering a benchmark in professionalism and match preparation. (fbref.com)
The signing also signals Forest’s intent to mix proven, experienced signings with ongoing recruitment, giving Glasner tools to shape a side capable of competing domestically while managing the club’s medium-term ambitions. Schlager’s pedigree in German football adds a continental dimension to Forest’s squad profile. (tribuna.com)
Schlager’s addition completes a clear first step in Glasner’s summer plan: bring in players who fit his system, have experience at a high level and can contribute immediately. The club and supporters will now turn attention to how the Austrian settles in during pre-season and how further reinforcements might follow to complement his arrival. (nottinghamforest.news)
