FC Schalke 04 gears up for Bundesliga with new signings and fan travel plans

After clinching promotion to the Bundesliga, FC Schalke 04 is preparing for longer away trips, with supporters expected to travel an average of 640 kilometres per match – the longest distance being the 1,266‑kilometre journey to Bayern Munich.

The club’s sporting director Frank Baumann has confirmed that Schalke’s transfer activity is in high gear. Schalke have already secured Satoshi Tanaka from Fortuna Düsseldorf and Junior Adamu from SC Freiburg, and are now targeting two key positions. The first target is 25‑year‑old forward Junior Dina Ebimbe of Eintracht Frankfurt. Schalke are prepared to meet a fee of around €1 million, though Frankfurt’s asking price is about €2 million. The second target is 28‑year‑old Brazilian centre‑back Igor Julio, currently under contract with Brighton & Hove Albion. The German side is expected to pursue a loan with an option to buy rather than a full transfer.

Both players are seen as part of Schalke’s plan to reinforce the squad for the top flight, complementing existing midfield options such as Ron Schallenberg, Soufiane El‑Faouzi and Satoshi Tanaka.