Schalke updates | Moussa Sylla and Dejan Ljubicic deals near completion, Edin Dzeko smashes 47-year-old 2. Bundesliga record | OneFootball

Two transfers involving 2. Bundesliga leaders FC Schalke 04 appear set to be confirmed today. The Westphalian Königsblauen are preparing to confirm the departure of striker Moussa Sylla on a €6m transfer to New York City FC of America’s MLS. Multiple reliable German footballing media sources also report that Austrian international Dejan Ljubicic has passed his Schalke medical and will be unveiled as a new addition.

Schalke have indeed had quite the eventful January 2026 transfer window. The blockbuster deal to bring Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko back to German football has already yielded spectacular dividends. Dzeko scored a vital equalizer in his Schalke debut on Sunday, in the process smashing a 47-year-old 2. Bundesliga record. 

Sylla’s sale to MLS complete

Schalke themselves confirmed Sylla’s absence from the matchday squad against Kaiserslautern due to an “impending move abroad“. Many clubs from various different countries have long sought to secure the Malian international’s services. Schalke brought Sylla in from Pau FC on a €2.5m purchase in the summer of 2024; an especially large sum even for a large 2. Bundesliga club such as S04. 

Schalke have ended up turning a handsome profit on the 26-year-old. Sylla scored 20 2. Bundesliga goals over the course of the last 18 months, eventually raising his estimated market value up to €6m. Amid lower production numbers this year (four goals and three assists in 17 league appearances), Sylla’s estimated value has dipped back down to €5m. 

The MLS outfit is nevertheless prepared to still pay top dollar. 

Ljubicic ready to return to Germany

The former 1. FC Köln man has been keen to get back to the German Bundesrepublik after six short months with Dinamo Zagreb. The Croatian club’s head coach Mario Kovacevic confirmed Ljubicic’s departure at a recent press conference. Kovacevic specifically wished Ljubicic “all the best at Schalke.”

Kicker reports that Ljubicic underwent his Schalke medical at the Veltins Arena on Sunday and a €750,000 transfer to Gelsenkirchen has already been worked out. Ljubicic joins S04 head coach Miron Muslic, also an Austrian citizen of Bosnian heritage.

Ljubicic and Muslic shall work together with one of the most famous Bosnian footballers ever.

Dzeko becomes the 2. Bundesliga’s oldest ever goalscorer

At the age of 39 years, ten months, and eight days, Dzeko is now the oldest ever goalscorer in 2. Bundesliga history. Previous record holder Helmut Haller was around three months younger than Dzeko when he scored for Augsburg against FSV Frankfurt in February 1979. 

Dzeko, who turns 40 on March 17th, will surely pad his own record a few more times before the 2. Bundesliga campaign is out. Assuming Schalke can remain on track and secure promotion, Dzeko may be on course to smash some German top flight records as well. 

GGFN | Peter Weis