Danny Latza chooses FC Schalke 04

“In this challenging period, it is a really positive sign for the whole club that Danny Latza has chosen to join us despite having other options,” says Peter Knäbel, current head of sport at Schalke 04. “Danny has committed to us early on, even knowing that playing in the Bundesliga 2 is currently the most likely scenario for next season. That underlines his connection with Schalke.”

For Danny Latza, a return to Gelsenkirchen means that he has come full circle as a player. “It makes me unbelievably proud to be able to run out for Schalke again. I learned to play football here and was able to play my first three Bundesliga matches. Starting this summer, my concern will be helping the club to get back to greater success. For me, Schalke has always been a place where the fans appreciate players with passion and fighting spirit. My aim is to show exactly that.”

Danny Latza joined the Royal Blues at the age of just eight before moving through the various Knappenschmiede age groups. In February 2009, the U19 European champion celebrated his Bundesliga debut in a 2-1 defeat at the hands of VfL Bochum. He moved on to Darmstadt 98 in the summer of 2011 before signing for Bochum two years later. The midfielder has played for FSV Mainz 05 since July 2015, captaining the side during the current campaign. In total, Latza has played 148 Bundesliga games as well as 64 matches in the second division.