Schalke 04: Alexander Nübel is new captain

Goalkeeper Alexander Nübel is the new captain of FC Schalke 04, the club officially announced on Saturday afternoon. Nübel succeeds defender Benjamin Stambouli, who took over from Ralf Fährmann during the previous season. Stambouli and midfielder Omar Mascarell are Nübel’s two deputies.

“These are the three guys who lead the group,” explained coach David Wagner. Two other players are now to be elected by their fellow players to the five-man team council. This will happen “in the next few days,” Wagner said.

Alexander Nübel made the jump to Schalke’s regular in the previous season when he replaced Fährmann. At the end of the season, the 22-year-old played 22 compulsory games for the squires.

In the past weeks there had been speculations about him changing his name again and again. The reason is his contractual situation: Nübel is still bound to Schalke until 2020 and currently does not want to extend the contract. At the same time, several well-known clubs have been reaching out for the U21 national goalkeeper.