Schalke 04 reshapes squad and weighs Dzeko's contract during preseason

FC Schalke 04, newly promoted to the Bundesliga, began its summer preparation with a reduced squad. Several players, including goalkeeper Tomas Kalas and loan returnees Martin Wasinski, Steve Noode and Mauro Zalazar, were moved to the U23 team, while goalkeeper Luca Podlech and defender Felipe Sanchez are expected to leave on loan. Additional absences stem from World Cup duties, injuries and personal programs.

The club is actively seeking additions on a limited budget, targeting free agents such as Junior Adamu and Satoshi Tanaka, and evaluating low‑cost options like William Mikelbrencis, Filip Bilbija and Florian Grillitsch.

Star striker Edin Dzeko, whose contract expired on 30 June, remains unattached. Coach Miron Muslic confirmed that talks about an extension are on hold until after the World Cup, and Dzeko missed the first training session. Schalke captain Kenan Karaman has spoken with Dzeko but no agreement is in place. The club gained scheduling certainty regarding Bosnia‑Herzegovina forward Nikola Katić after his national team’s World Cup exit, allowing better planning for the upcoming season.