Alexander Nübel remains Schalker – at least for the time being. Despite expiring contracts and lucrative enquiries, the Gelsenkirchen-based company does not want to give up the regular goalkeeper at all in order to achieve a sum of millions.
“He will definitely play for FC Schalke this season. I rule out a change,” said S04 sports director Jochen Schneider on Tuesday. “Our goal is to extend the contract with him. That’s what we’re working on.”
According to information from SOCCERSCORE and Goal, Nübel has also made the decision to fulfil its contract with the Royal Blue until summer 2020 despite the interest of several top clubs. Whether the U-21 nationalkeeper will accept this offer to extend the contract by three years with a significant salary increase, however, remains to be seen. Allegedly, it also contains an exit clause for 2021.
Currently, FC Bayern, AS Rome and several Premier League teams, among others, have submitted requests for the 22-year-old. Borussia Dortmund, on the other hand, is not one of them. “That’s bullshit,” said his advisor Stefan Backs in response to a report to that effect.
In addition to Nübel, who last season replaced Ralf Fährmann, who had lent to Norwich City, as Schalker No. 1, the Schalker team also signed Markus Schubert as second goalkeeper, as expected. The 21-year-old, whose contract with Dynamo Dresden had expired, was officially introduced on Tuesday.
“Of course, my goal is to be number one here, too. I chose Schalke because I have a perspective here,” explained Schubert before leaving for the training camp in Herzlake. But he wanted a fair sporting competition with his rival: “I got to know Alex Nübel during the U21 European Championships. We get along great – that was another reason to come here.”
However, Nübel could be gone in a year’s time and Schalke could lose another plant after Leon Goretzka, Max Meyer or Sead Kolasinac. For the winter break, however, Schneider declared the youngster unsaleable: “Good players don’t change in January”.
