Nottingham Forest has officially signed Austrian midfielder Xaver Schlager on a free transfer, locking him into a two-year contract with an option for a third year. The 28-year-old arrives after his deal with RB Leipzig expired on June 30, making him available without a transfer fee despite interest from several elite European clubs.

The deal and the player

Schlager’s arrival, officially announced on July 15, gives Forest a proven central midfielder who has operated at the highest levels of European football. He originally moved to RB Leipzig from VfL Wolfsburg back in 2022 for approximately €12 million on a four-year contract. That deal has now run its course, and Schlager opted not to extend.

The Austrian international has represented his country at the World Cup and has been a consistent presence in their national team setup. His decision to choose Nottingham Forest over other suitors suggests the club presented a compelling sporting project.

The 2+1 contract structure gives Forest flexibility. If Schlager performs as expected, they trigger the third year and keep a valuable asset. If things don’t work out, both sides have a clean exit after two seasons.

What Schlager brings to Forest’s midfield

His time at Leipzig, a club essentially built around high-intensity pressing football, means he arrives at Forest already wired for the kind of work rate the Premier League demands.

Premier League clubs routinely spend north of €20 million for players with comparable profiles. Leipzig paid €12 million for him three years ago. Forest gets all of that development for free, redirecting whatever they might have spent on a transfer fee toward wages instead.