Emil Højlund joins Schalke 04

“In Emil, we’re signing a talented forward with an intriguing skill set. He’s a team player who’ll run into space but can also hold the ball up. He also has very good physicality despite his young age. In our discussions, Emil made it clear that he wanted to continue his development in men’s football at Schalke,” said sporting director Marc Wilmots on behalf of the management.

“I was very excited to hear about Schalke’s interest, and on my first visit here, my family and I were convinced. Marc Wilmots, Ben Manga and the club have laid out an interesting path for me which I can only follow here,” said Emil Højlund. “Today, I’m looking forward to training with the lads for the first time.”

Højlund joined the FC Copenhagen academy from Hørsholm IK in January 2018. The 1.91-metre tall forward made his debut for the club in a Europa Conference League tie against PSV Eindhoven in March 2022, and also appeared in the second leg against the Dutch side. He then played his first game in the Danish top tier in July 2023. As a youngster, Højlund scored 16 goals and provided five assists in 44 matches for the U19 age group. In the UEFA Youth League, the Denmark youth international scored four times and provided three assists in 13 games. The striker was called up by his home country for the current UEFA European Under-19 Championship, but decided not to take part in order to join up with the Royal Blues for pre-season.