Derry John Murkin joins Schalke 04

“In Derry John we are signing a dynamic and quick left-back. His profile fits our squad really well and will fill a gap that we have,” said sporting director André Hechelmann. “Derry John has just turned 24, has a lot of potential and will now take the next step in his development here at Schalke.”

“Derry John is a quick and physically capable left-back, who stands out among other things by making lots of strong runs and his strength in the challenge,” expanded head coach Thomas Reis. “He is not only an aggressive and robust defender, but will also bring additional attacking impetus to our game.”

The new arrival, who was born in England, is looking forward to playing for the Royal Blues. “I really wanted to move to Schalke and am looking forward to now pulling on a blue and white shirt. The club’s representatives told me in our discussions what they expect from me. I’m itching to get out there on the pitch with my team mates and in front of the Schalke fans.”

Murkin moved from England to the Netherlands at four years old. He has previously played for ZVV Zaandijk, KFC Koog an de Zaan, VPV Prumersteijn and Fortuna Wormerveer. In 2015, the Englishman made the switch to FC Volendam’s youth academy. He made his Eredivisie debut for the team from North Holland in 2022.