After the 23-year-old scored back-to-back equalizer’s for his Bundesliga side in his first two appearances of the season, Union Berlin striker Marin Ljubicic could be in line for a 2. Bundesliga loan out. Ljubicic has literally seen only 20 minutes of action as the 2025/26 Bundesliga season stands at its halfway mark. Kicker reports that Schalke 04 – the current 2. Bundesliga leaders – apparently wish to give Ljubicic more playing time.
Sky Austria also reports that Schalke are interested in the former LASK Linz striker. Since joining Union on €4.5m transfer back in January 2024, Ljubicic’s estimated market value continued to fall from a peak of €8m in May 2024 to €2.5m in the latest transfermarkt update. Ljubicic barely featured at all for Union last spring, was a surprise retention this summer, and counted merely as “dead weight” on the squad entering the current January 2025 transfer window.
Will Schalke land Ljubicic?
Baumgart’s “Midas Touch” streak rolls on with Ljubicic’s latest equalizer. Union subs have now scored the club’s last five goals across the team’s last four Bundesliga fixtures. Baumgart has confirmed at both press conferences that Ljubicic was a candidate for loan, but current circumstances certainly necessitate a re-think. Baumgart may wish to roll with this as long as he can.
It’s worth noting that both of Ljubicic’s recent league tallies qualify as “poacher’s goals”. The Croatian’s late equalizer against Mainz probably should have been credited to FCU centre-back Danilho Doekhi. Ljubicic merely touched a Doekhi effort over the line. Last night against Augsburg, all Ljubicic had to do was toe the ball in at 90+2. The forward simply found himself in the right place at the right time in both instances.
That would seemingly matter very little to Schalke, who would be most pleased to acquire a confident “poacher” in their quest to attain promotion back to the top flight. Despite their position in the table, Schalke do not possess a top 2. Bundesliga scorer. Top Schalke goal-getting Kenan Karaman (six league goals) is currently tied for 11th place on the 2. Bundesliga scorer charts.
One surmises this deal will go through.
Union have other options
