In a press conference on Wednesday, Schalke 04 director of sport Peter Knäbel stated that they have not yet found a replacement for sporting director Rouven Schröder.
Knäbel spoke on how Schalke will go about their transfer business without a replacement: “We will contest this transfer period in this tripartite constellation, It is important that we have people who know the team, which is the initial and target planning of squad planning.”
The trio that is mentioned consists of Knäbel himself, chief scout André Hechelmann and executive assistant René Grotus. Schalke had previously tried to sign Benjamin Schmedes as the replacement, but his current employer Vitesse Arnhem would have then needed a replacement as well.
Schröder left his role as Schalke sporting director at the end of October having only been in the role for a year and a half and was key in the recruitment that helped Schalke gain promotion from the 2. Bundesliga last season.
Schalke currently find themselves bottom of the Bundesliga, four points behind Bochum in 17th. They are already on their second coach of the season having sacked Frank Kramer after a 5-1 loss to Hoffenheim in the DFB Pokal and then replacing him with Thomas Reis who himself was sacked by Bochum in September.
GGFN | Jack Meenan
