Aymen Barkok: I packed my bags straightaway

Aymen, welcome to Schalke. You signed for the Royal Blues on the final day of the transfer window. How did deadline day play out for you?
It all went very quickly in the end. The first call came in the morning around 11, and less than eight hours later, I was signing a contract for the rest of the season. The next day, I was training with my new teammates.

What went through your head when the chance to join S04 arose?
When the offer came, I didn’t have to think about it for long. I packed my bags straightaway and set off together with my father. Now I’m excited to have the chance to showcase my ability over the coming months. I want to put in good performances to help the team and club as much as I can.

What qualities can you bring to the pitch in order to help your new team pick up as many points as possible over the remainder of the season?
I’m someone who is bursting with energy. I always think positively and try to motivate my teammates. I also have good technical skills and am strong on the ball. I have great stamina and can also play that decisive pass. My expectations of myself are to deliver those qualities as quickly as possible.

In which position do you feel your strengths are best suited?
I feel most at home in the middle of the park, particularly as a number eight. I can also sit deeper as a six and have also played out wide in my career. In Frankfurt, I was often used on the right of a back-five. I’m versatile and ultimately will take on the role in which I can best help the team.

You’re reunited with a familiar face at Schalke in Ben Manga.

That’s true. I know Ben well from my time at Eintracht Frankfurt. He paved the way for me to make the step up from the youth setup into the first team. I’m really happy that we’ll be working together again.

Did you already know any of your new teammates before arriving?
I was also at Frankfurt with Amin Younes. We had a really successful time together there and he is an incredible footballer. I’ve also been teammates with Kenan Karaman and Marcin Kaminski – we know each other from our time at Fortuna Düsseldorf. Both are great guys and brilliant players too. I’m delighted to be teammates with Amin, Kenan and Marcin again. Even though we went our separate ways a while back now, I’ve always kept an eye on their careers.

Kenan Karaman is now your captain.
Yes, and he seems to be fulfilling the role superbly from what I’ve seen. I saw his team talk ahead of the game in Paderborn on YouTube and I was sold. During our time together in Düsseldorf, it wasn’t necessarily clear that he would become such a leading player, but he’s made for an excellent captain so far. He’s certainly always been a top player.

Did you reach out to Amin, Kenan or Marcin before signing to ask about what to expect at Schalke?
I actually didn’t, but mostly because everything went so quickly. But if I wasn’t already convinced that joining Schalke was the right move for me, then I wouldn’t have gone through with it.

What are you looking forward to the most in the coming weeks and months?
I’ve already faced Schalke a number of times in my career and have been able to play at the VELTINS-Arena on several occasions, so I know all about the atmosphere there and I was always impressed. I’m also looking forward to getting to know my new teammates, the coaches and the staff. I’m a very open person and so I don’t think I will have any problems settling in.