Official | Leeds United’s Maximilian Wöber joins Schalke 04 on a free transfer | OneFootball

Schalke 04 have confirmed the signing of Austrian centre-back Maximilian Wöber on a permanent basis. The transfer was finalized not long after rumors began surfacing. In something of an interesting twist, the 28-year-old will join die Königsblauen on a free transfer. Wöber’s recent injury history left Leeds comfortable with terminating his contract. 

Maximilian Wöber joins his third Bundesliga club

The former Werder Bremen and Borussia Mönchengladbach loanee – always enthusiastic about German football – declared himself eager to prove detractors wrong in his club-released statement. Virtually all German footballing media sources report that Schalke have nevertheless hedged their bets. Wöber’s new contract centers around performance-based payouts. 

Statements on Wöber’s signing

“Maximilian Wöber brings the experience of over 170 top-flight matches and, thanks to his stints in Mönchengladbach and Bremen, is also familiar with the unique challenges of the Bundesliga,” Director of professional football Youri Mulder noted in a club statement. “We’re confident he’ll be able to reach his full potential with us again. To that end, the coaching staff, led by Miron Muslic, will work intensively with him.“

“From the very beginning, Schalke 04 got me excited,” Wöber himself added. “After positive discussions, I’m looking forward to this new challenge at a truly special club that has earned its promotion. Playing in the Bundesliga with Schalke is an exciting opportunity. I want to get started quickly now and get to know my new teammates.”

GGFN | Peter Weis