Schalke are negotiating with Beşiktaş over the return of defender Felix Uduokhai to the Bundesliga. The newly promoted German side hope to secure the 27-year-old initially on loan with the right to make the transfer permanent, according to reports.
Deal structure and player interest
The Royal Blues have already opened discussions with the Turkish club regarding the centre-back’s potential switch to Gelsenkirchen. Uduokhai is understood to be enthusiastic about the proposed move, which would see him leave Istanbul after completing a single full campaign with Beşiktaş.
The defender remains under contract with the Istanbul-based outfit until 2027, meaning any agreement would require the approval of his current employers. Schalke are specifically pursuing a loan arrangement that contains a purchase option rather than an immediate permanent deal, allowing them to assess his impact before committing to a full transfer.
From Augsburg to Istanbul
Uduokhai’s move to Beşiktaş became permanent last summer when the club paid €5 million to convert his temporary stay from FC Augsburg into a full transfer. Since arriving in Turkey, the former Germany youth international has accumulated 58 competitive appearances for the club across all competitions.
His potential departure would mark a swift exit just one year after Beşiktaş invested in his permanent acquisition. The centre-back previously featured regularly for Augsburg in the German top flight before his relocation.
Summer recruitment drive
Should the transfer materialise, Uduokhai would become Schalke’s fifth new recruit of the summer transfer window. The Gelsenkirchen outfit have already secured goalkeeper Kevin Müller, midfielder Satoshi Tanaka, forward Junior Adamu and defender Robin Gosens as they rebuild their squad following promotion.
The addition of the 27-year-old would provide valuable defensive depth and top-tier experience for the upcoming Bundesliga campaign. Negotiations between the two clubs are ongoing as Schalke seek to finalise their squad composition before the transfer window closes.