Third newcomer
©IMAGO
FC Schalke has strengthened the defense and committed Nikola Katic from FC Zurich. For the 28 -year -old central defender, a transfer of 450,000 euros plus bonuses flows to Switzerland and he will be equipped with a contract until 2028. Katic already knows the new S04 coach Miron Muslic.
Katic was awarded to Plymouth Argyle in the past second half of the season, where he established himself as a regular under Muslic and completed 17 games. At FC Zurich, he had been under contract since 2022 and made 86 games in which the 1.94 tall defender also showed goal with seven goals. In addition, Katic has been an integral part of the Bosnian national team since the summer of 2024, for which he was on the pitch nine times, including 1-2 against Germany in October.
After the returnee Timo Becker, the free of charge from Bundesliga relegated Holstein Kiel, and Soufiane El-Faouzi, for whom 200,000 euros were transferred to Alemannia Aachen, Katic is the third external newcomer for the coming season. The expenditure of the royal blue increases to 650,000 euros, the opposite income of 2 million euros. As Schalke’s sports director Frank Baumann recently explained in an interview with the “WAZ”, the club needed a similar surplus as last season when a transfer plus of 8.7 million euros were generated (to the article).
“With Nikola Katic, an internationally experienced central defender, who has a handsome body size at 1.94 meters, is also very header. He is an aggressive and physically present defender. Nikola worked in Plymouth under Miron Muslic, so he knows his ideas and expectations from the daily work,” explained Youri Mulder, Schalkes Director Professional football.
Muslic added: “Nikola will be a reinforcement for us with his overall package. He brings everything to take on a leadership role in our team. I am glad that we were able to implement the transfer at this early date of preparation and that Nikola can start with us and will also be there in the Stubai vital in the coming week.”
Newcomer Katic said: “Schalke 04 and the 2nd Bundesliga in Germany are a great challenge for me. I did not have to think long to make a decision at the Schalke offer. The special constellation with Miron Muslic as a trainer is only one aspect that I immediately convinced.
