German promotion rush: Schalke eye free signing of ex-Ajax defender
At 16:55 today, Sky Sport’s German bureau confirmed that Austrian defender Maximilian Wöber will soon sign for newly promoted Schalke 04, arriving on a free transfer from English side Leeds United. The deal, reported in an update at 16:55, marks the defender’s return to Germany after spells in the Netherlands and England.
Wöber, who featured for Ajax between 2017 and 2019, is an Austrian international who made his Eredivisie debut in Amsterdam.
He signed a contract with Leeds United in 2023, and the English club loaned him to Werder Bremen for the previous season.
Schalke 04, promoted last season, have returned to the German top flight after a three‑year absence, with former Dutch international Youri Mulder serving as technical director.
Both parties are reportedly close to finalising the agreement, with the remaining contractual details still under discussion.
Sky Sport indicated that the transfer will be completed on a free basis, allowing the German side to bolster its defensive options without a fee.
The signing underscores Schalke’s strategy of adding experienced players as they re‑establish themselves in the Bundesliga.