Edin Džeko reveals why he joined Schalke
The acquisition of Edin Džeko in January has returned Schalke to the Bundesliga 2 summit as the Royal Blues look to secure promotion to Germany’s top flight, under the stewardship of head coach Miron Muslić, following their relegation in 2023.
With the Bosnian’s arrival, the Ruhr club may well have found their missing jigsaw piece. Amassing four goals and three assists in five league games, Džeko’s transfer could prove to be one of the most ingenious moves in Bundesliga 2 history.
Eager for a new challenge, the 39-year-old is determined to help Schalke return to their former glory, helping secure Bundesliga status after a three-year absence while soaking up the famous Veltins-Arena atmosphere.
Made in the Bundesliga, Džeko discussed his return to Germany, where he had a prolific spell with Wolfsburg between 2007 and 2011, racking up 85 goals and 35 assists in 142 appearances while clinching the 2008/09 Bundesliga title.
Watch: All of Edin Džeko's goals in 2025/26 so far
The former Manchester City and Inter Milan striker, among others, joined Fiorentina in June 2025 but soon found himself out-of-favour with the Italian outfit. Shortly before the New Year, Džeko was an unused substitute in a 1-0 defeat against Parma, a clear sign that his time in Italy was coming to an end.
“The day after the game, we had lunch with the team,” he explained to Sport Bild. “After lunch, I sat alone in the room and thought. I asked myself: ‘What do I want? What do I need?’ I came to the answer: An emotional stadium with loud fans. A club that can sweep me away again.”
“Suddenly, Schalke came to mind. At that moment, I immediately picked up my phone and texted Nikola [Katić].”
“Do you still need a striker,” texted Džeko, to his former Bosnian teammate who joined Schalke in July 2025. Immediately replying, “Brate” Katić, as the two affectionately call each other, put him in touch with Muslić.
“I made it clear to him from the beginning that money isn’t important to me,” he recounted. “I had other offers that were significantly more lucrative, but that wasn’t what it was about for me at all. I was happy to forego money for this club.”
With seven goal involvements already, Džeko and Schalke - who remain one of the country’s best supported clubs with over 200,000 members - is proving a match made in heaven.
Watch: Edin Džeko - made in the Bundesliga
But whether the duo extend their cooperation beyond the summer is up in the air. “I’m not the type of person who can say a few months in advance that I’m going to quit,” he added. “I don’t plan that far ahead.
“I’ll listen to my body in the summer but at the moment, I still feel very good, and I still score goals,” said Džeko, who could be tempted by another year in the Bundesliga should the Royal Blues clinch promotion.
With a goal and assist in Schalke’s 5-3 victory over Magdeburg to maintain their one point gap over Darmstadt on Matchday 23, the signing of Džeko came at a crucial moment in the Gelsenkirchen club’s season. To achieve promotion back to the Bundesliga, the Bosnian’s goals will play a pivotal role.
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