Report:
Schalke weigh €6 million purchase option for Ko Itakura, May 31st deadline beckons
By Peter Weis @PeterVicey
Germany's main sporting tabloid reports that, should Schalke wish to keep Japanese midfield talent Ko Itakura, the price tag for the Man City loanee totals some €6 million.
Sport Bild goes on to report that the Revierklub is weighing the sales of at least four players to offset the cost.
Sport Bild goes on to report that the Revierklub is weighing the sales of at least four players to offset the cost.
Sporting director Rouven Schröder and the Schalke administrative team are thus faced with a choice. Itakura's purchase clause, as reported by Sport Bild, is closer to (if not over) the €6 million mark. The German "Boulevard Blatt" also notes that the Königsblauen only have until May 31st to decide whether to pull the clause.
It appears as if at least one other player will need to be sold in order for die Knappen to consider an outright purchase. The tabloid correctly presages an interesting 11 days as negotiations to sell some of Schalke's returning loan players continue. Multiple sources report that Schröder is pushing for Olympique Marseille to buy Amine Harit (€9 million) rather than send him back.
Other potential sales of loanees scheduled to return include Ozcan Kabak (Norwich City, €12 million), Rabbi Matondo (Cercle Brugge, €4 million), and Can Bozdogan (Besiktas, €4 million). Germany U21 defender Malick Thiaw is also reportedly on the market for €5-6 million.