Tom Krauß joins Schalke on loan

If S04 remain in the Bundesliga for the 2023/24 season, the midfielder will sign permanently on a contract until the end of the 2026/27 season. All parties have agreed not to disclose any further details of the transfer.

“We’re delighted to have secured the services of Tom Krauß, one of the best German talents in his age group. He’s a tough-tackling central midfielder with an eye for a pass, has a good vision for the game and bring a bit of aggression in one-on-one situations,” explained sporting director Rouven Schröder. “Alongside that, he also has fantastic running stamina and a great turn of speed for someone in his position. Both of those things help him create some dangerous moments in the final third.”

The 20-year-old proved that in the 2. Bundesliga last season, being directly involved in six goals. Recently, Krauß was involved in the Germany U21 national team, scoring the third goal for Antonio Di Salvo’s side in a 4-0 win against Hungary, which secured them qualification to U21 EURO 2023, which will take place next summer in Romania and Georgia.

Kramer and Krauß: two familiar faces

Head coach Frank Kramer has known Krauß for many years: “Tom was my captain when I coached the U18 national team, and was a really important player for me. He reads the game well to recognise both attacking and defensive situations, and gets himself into positions where he can be proactively rather than simply reacting. Even back in the U18s, he was a player who stepped up to take on responsibility – these are all qualities which we will need for our fight to stay up next season. I’m looking forward to working together with him once again.”

“To be able to play in the Bundesliga for a club like Schalke 04 next season is an unbelievably great step for me. My discussions with Rouven Schröder were very informative and really convinced me to join,” said Krauß, adding: “I’m really looking forward to my first home game at the VELTINS-Arena. I got to see how the fans and team celebrated when they won the 2. Bundesliga in Nürnberg last month. The energy really left an impression on me and is one of the main reasons I’m absolutely convinced we’ll achieve everything we want to, like survival in the Bundesliga, next season.”