With Jens Keller telling Bild “We’ll be signing no more players this summer” it seems like a good time to bring out a preview of the upcoming season for the Royal Blues.

After last season’s Champions League qualification, Keller has mentioned that he has the same goals for this season, but can his new additions help them go on and achieve more?

Summer Deals

IN

-Sidney Sam (Bayer Leverkusen)

-Eric Choupo-Moting (Mainz 05)

-Fabian Giefer (Düsseldorf)

-Dennis Aogo (Hamburg)

-Tranquillo Barnetta (Return from loan at Eintracht Frankfurt)

OUT

-Anthony Annan (Released)

-Timo Hilderbrand (Released)

-Tim Hoogland (Fulham)

-Adam Szalai (Hoffenheim)

-Philipp Hofmann (Kaiserslautern)

-Lars Unnerstall (Düsseldorf)

Goalkeepers

Schalke have strengthened their goalkeeping quartet, with the signing of the highly rated Fabian Giefer (24) from Fortuna Düsseldorf. The question is, who will be the number one come the start of the season, Giefer or Fährmann?

Both were superb last season, but one would expect suspect Fährmann earned the right to be the starter with his performances for S04 in the last campaign. Giefer has mentioned in interviews he will fight for the number one spot, but he may just be given DFB Pokal games this season, to start his Schalke career.

Defenders

Schalke’s defence took a lot of criticism at the start of last season, conceding 28 in the Hinründe. Their Rückrunde was far more stable and consistent however, with just 15 goals being conceded in the 17 games. The likes of Matip, Kolasinac and Santana stood up and helped out Ralf Fährmann behind them. It was also great for S04 fans to see their captain, Benedikt Höwedes, play every minute of the World Cup for Germany in Brazil this summer.

The defence was very much injury-hit during last season; also, with the likes of Papadopoulos, Uchida, Kirchhoff and Fuchs all having major spells on the sideline. Keller will be hoping for a bit more luck in terms of injuries, and a lack of work for the physio. Ayhan impressed in his first season in the Bundesliga and will be looking to continue that in 14/15.

Midfielders

Schalke don’t just have strength in numbers in this department, but also in quality. You could argue that the defensive midfield aspect of the 4-2-3-1 formation could be strengthened, but Neüdstadter and Boateng, with Höger in back-up, impressed massively last season.

Adding to the attacking group, Sidney Sam and Choupo-Moting, you have yourself one of the best groups of attacking midfielders in the Bundesliga, on paper. Meyer, Goretzka, Draxler, Farfán and Clemens, together with the new signings and likes of Donis Avdijaj and Leroy Sané coming through the youth set-up, means there is plenty of competition for places. Keller will have his work cut out in keeping all of those names happy with playtime. But it’s not a bad problem to have at all.

Forwards

The sale of Adam Szalai to Hoffenehim means S04 are left with Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and 17-year old Avdijaj as their only real striking options. With one spot to take in the 4-2-3-1 formation, you could argue another name would almost be pointless for Schalke in this position, hence the sale of Szalai. Huntelaar will be looking to continue the form he showed in the second-half of last season. (12 goals in 18)

Prediction

With their new attacking influences and improving defence, I see Schalke taking a Champions League spot behind Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. Closest challengers to S04 will be Leverkusen, Wolfsburg and M’Gladbach, who will all be vying for a big European spot.

In Europe, depending on how kind the draw is, Schalke have a squad that after last season’s elimination by Real Madrid, are looking to prove their worth on the big stage. A quarter-final would be a great return.