Liverpool LEGEND linked to struggling German giants | OneFootball

Schalke 04 have had a torrid time of it recently, being relegated from the Bundesliga in the 2022-23 season and finishing 10th in the German second division last year.

And after a poor start to this season which sees them sitting in 13th with seven points from as many games, they are now on the hunt for a new manager. Karel Geraerts was relieved from his post after blowing a 3-0 lead to lose to Darmstadt 5-3 on 21st September.

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Now German outlet BILD are reporting that the struggling side are considering Liverpool hero Fernando Torres as the next manager of the team.

Torres, who is yet to manage a full professional team, currently heads up Atletico Madrid B in the third tier of Spanish football. He took over that role this season after spending three years coaching Atleti’s under-19 side.

Torres’s side currently sit in 10th place in their division, equally splitting their first six games with two wins, draws and losses.

However, a move to Germany might not be a move in the best interests of the former Red. Schalke have been in a difficult position for some years now. According to Raphael Honigstein, the club’s turnover dropped to half of its €350m level in 2018-19 this past season. With the club in around €180m worth of debt, their ability to refresh a clearly ailing squad will be minimal.

Additionally, due to financial mismanagement, the club are saddled with a salary cap for €2.5m, meaning any ability to attract higher-quality players is further minimised. Add this to the fact that Torres would be the 14th coach to lead the side since 2019 and it creates a difficult situation to step into.

A drop down to the third division of German football would also be catastrophic for the club. The €25m that they current receive in commercial rights would drop to around €1.3m if they were to be relegated, a scenario that would spell disaster.

If Torres took the job and manage to nurse the side back to health on the pitch then it would be a testament to his ability as a coach. With the side truly up against the wall, however, his future might be better off elsewhere.

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