The Royal Blues are keen to appoint Augsburg man Markus Weinzierl as new head coach for the next season. According to SPIEGEL ONLINE, Schalke have offered a ready to sign four-year contract to the 40-year-old.

According to the German paper's report, Markus Weinzierl has already emerged as Horst Heldt's top target shortly after sacking Roberto Di Matteo just after the season finished.

Schalke sporting director Horst Heldt, who is also looking at Sascha Lewandowski and Belgium's national coach, held talks with Weinzierl's agent Roman Grill at the end of May. Weinzierl reportedly asked for time to think it over. SPIEGEL ONLINE also report that Augsburg chairman Klaus Hofmann has already been informed about Schalke's interest, but the 47-year-old denied in an interview with Augsburger Allgemeine Zeitung: "I have not received that information that Markus Weinzierl wants to leave FCA. I'm very staggered by the news in the internet." 

Markus Weinzierl extended his contract at FC Augsburg until 2019 in April along with the club's sporting director Stefan Reuter and gets a seven-digit annual salary now. Augsburg have officially confirmed that he has no release clause, but - according to BILD - Weinzierl has an option to leave Augsburg and sign for a top club. 

Weinzierl, who joined the Bavarians from Jahn Regensburg back in 2012, aimed to preempt rumours about his future this summer, he told the club's official website: "It's an awful lot of fun to be the manager of FC Augsburg. We want to keep on working together." Hofmann interpreted the extension as a "landmark for the club"

After Augsburg's amazing season that brought the Bavarians to Europa League for the first time in club history, Markus Weinzierl attracts the interest of bigger Bundesliga teams despite his demonstrative contract extension.

The former Bayern Munich II player, who has been chosen by all the Bundesliga players as second best manager of the season, stands for courageous and offensive football and could fit in Horst Heldt's job profile as he wants to get the supporters back on side with attractive football.

Markus Weinzierl now has to think about the four-year deal that has been offered from Schalke 04.

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