Report: Mascarell to Valencia talks may heat up fast
Talks to move Spanish defensive midfielder Omar Mascarell have reportedly not begun yet. Given the enormous implications of a transaction involving their high-value captain, however, Schalke may seek to proceed quickly.
Endangered Bundesliga club FC Schalke 04 have already walked back one statement with respect to current captain Omar Mascarell. After saying that the 27-year-old Spaniard would retain the armband despite the arrival of Sead Kolasinac, trainer Christian Groß gave the newly-acquired left-back captaincy privileges in his first match back. Mascarell remained unavailable for Schalke's weekend match with injury.
With it now looking as if the Bosnian will assume leadership responsibilities in Gelsenkirchen for the rest of the season, rumors involving the former captain surface everywhere. German broadcaster "Sport1" reports that FC Valencia are interested in bring the former Real Madrid youth academy product back to his homeland.
While actual contact between the clubs cannot, as of yet, be independently verified, SkyGermany notes that Mascarell and Schalke engaged in "intensive discussions" over the weekend. Presumably, Germany's Königsblauen have informed their player that he is actively being shopped. The midfielder did not make the early lists of club expendables.
Transfermarkt.de lists Mascarell's current market value as €10 million. If die Knappen could get anywhere near that amount for him, it would prove extremely helpful in their parallel efforts to strengthen the squad. Moreover, moving him off of the wage ledger could ostensibly free up space for three or four new players.