This afternoon, the Veltins Arena side FC Schalke 04 confirmed the signing of Austrian, Alessandro Schöpf from 2nd division 1. FC Nürnberg for a fee believed to be around €6 million. The under 21 international has signed a three and a half year contract until 2019 in North Rhine Westphalia.
Schöpf, who has become die Königsblauen's second signing of the January transfer window, will travel to Florida tomorrow [8th January] to join his new teammates who are currently in the US for the aptly named Orlando Cup and training camp during the Bundesliga winter break. The aforementioned other, is Younes Belhanda who joined Schalke from Dynamo Kiev.
Work to do for Schöpf
The former der Clubb man joins the plethora of options die Königsblauen posses in the advanced midfield role. Max Meyer and Leroy Sané, who are both junior to the incoming Schöpf, have been praised for their performances - the pair with six goals between them - as well as being linked to move away from the Veltins Arena. Sané in particular has been drawn to the attention of Manchester City in recent week, with a talk of a potential Winter move; however any deal appears to be unlikely.
The new arrival will also have to contend with the likes of Leon Goretzka, Pierre Emile Højbjerg as well as fellow signing Belhanda. As such, there will be no guarantee for instant action for Alessandro Schöpf.
However Horst Heldt, FC Schalke 04 Sporting director was pleased with the signing, "We are happy about the transfer. He fits into our system well." He added, "Alessandro is a flexible midfielder with a lot of promise as he is still 21 years old."
"We are happy about the transfer" - Horst Heldt
High pedigree new signing
Schöpf perhaps has received the best youth training that can be had in Germany, after spending five years at Sabener Straße and FC Bayern Munich - the record German champions. However the Austrian, who had previously featured at local sides SV Längenfeld and BNZ Tirol, only managed to play for die Roten's second side in the Regionalliga Bayern.
In the summer of 2014 it was onto new pastures for die Königsblauen latest signing, this time with the illustrious Nürnberg. The midfielders career took off in Franconia and in eighteen months at the Grundig Stadion, Schöpf managed eleven goals and thirteen assists before making the move to North Rhine Westphalia.