bundesliga

Haji Wright to stay with Schalke first team

18.01.2019

Schalke head coach Domenico Tedesco has confirmed that American striker Haji Wright will remain with the first team following his promotion from the reserves last year.

The 20-year-old former LA Galaxy academy player joined Schalke in March 2016 after a spell with New York Cosmos. He was initially called up to the Royal Blues' first team in 2017, but after struggling to break into the side he went on loan to Bundesliga 2 outfit Sandhausen last season, scoring once in 15 appearances.

In November 2018 Wright profited from a spate of injuries to regular forwards Mark Uth, Breel Embolo, Franco Di Santo and Guido Burgstaller to make his Bundesliga debut on Matchday 12 against Nuremberg in what was to be the first of five top-flight outings before the winter break.

Haji Wright (l.) netted his first Bundesliga goal for Schalke against Bayer Leverkusen on Matchday 16. - Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Bongarts/Getty Images)

The Los Angeles native scored his maiden Bundesliga goal at home to Bayer Leverkusen on Matchday 16 and has evidently made enough of a good impression to warrant a place in Tedesco's first-team pool.

"We've promoted Philip‪ Fontein, Haji Wright, Benni Goller and Ahmed Kutucu to the first team from the U23s," confirmed Tedesco on Friday.

Schalke's first match of the second half of the season is at home to Wolfsburg on Sunday, where they will look to move clear of the relegation zone after struggling for form prior to the winter break.

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