Schalke director presents Džeko with final offer in Dubrovnik: decision on another season remains open
The sporting director of the German Bundesliga club Frank Baumann travelled to Dubrovnik for talks with Edin Džeko, where he was presented with the financial framework of a possible new contract. According to information from Sport Bild, Schalke are offering a basic annual salary of around 900,000 euros, while appearance and performance bonuses could increase the total earnings to approximately 1.3 million euros. The 40-year-old striker confirmed that he is seriously considering continuing his career, but he has not yet made a final decision.
The meeting in Dubrovnik took place at a time when Schalke are entering the final stage of preparations for their comeback season in the Bundesliga, while Džeko is a free agent following the World Cup and the expiration of his contract. Sport Bild reports that Baumann, the board member responsible for sporting matters, travelled personally to present the experienced striker once again with the final figures the club can offer. The conversation did not end with a signature or a firm verbal agreement, meaning Džeko's future remains open. According to the same source, the Bosnia and Herzegovina international requested additional time to assess with his family whether he wants Schalke to be the final stop of his professional career. The club are prepared to give him time to decide, but at the same time they must continue looking for other attacking solutions.
An offer that would place Džeko among the highest-paid players
The financial framework reported by Sport Bild demonstrates how highly Schalke value Džeko's contribution, but also how carefully they must manage costs after returning to the top flight. The basic part of the contract would reportedly amount to approximately 900,000 euros for the season, while additional bonuses would be linked to the number of appearances, individual performance and team results. In a favourable scenario, the total earnings could reach around 1.3 million euros. According to data published by the German newspaper, such an amount would place Džeko among the highest-paid players in the squad, alongside captain Kenan Karaman and new arrival Robin Gosens. Since the club have not officially disclosed the content of the negotiations, the stated amounts should be viewed as media reports rather than confirmed contractual terms.
Sport Bild also reports that Džeko's planned return to club training, should he accept the offer, is scheduled for the beginning of August. Such a timetable would give him several weeks to prepare individually before the start of the championship, but he would join later than most of his teammates, who began preparations at the beginning of July. Schalke will play their first official match of the new season on 24 August against Hallescher in the German Cup, while a Bundesliga away match against Augsburg awaits them on 30 August. A week later Bayern Munich will arrive in Gelsenkirchen, so Miron Muslić's coaching staff want to know as soon as possible which strikers they can count on. It is precisely for this reason that Džeko's decision has direct consequences for the remainder of the transfer window.
According to Sport Bild, Baumann also communicated an important condition to Džeko: Schalke will not rush him as long as another striker who is financially affordable and capable of immediately strengthening the team does not appear on the market. Should that happen, the club would ask Džeko for a swift final decision. The German newspaper estimates that the squad budget is close to 40 million euros, which means every major contract must be aligned with the other needs of the squad. This explains why the negotiations simultaneously involve the sporting desire to retain one of the most experienced strikers in Europe and strictly defined financial limits. For Schalke, waiting is worthwhile only as long as it does not jeopardise the possibility of signing an alternative.
Six goals and three assists changed the closing stages of the season
Džeko joined Schalke on 22 January 2026, when the club officially announced that they had signed him for the remaining 16 matches of the 2025/26 season. Before returning to Germany, he played for Fiorentina, where he had limited playing time in Serie A during the first half of the season. Schalke brought him in as an experienced finisher and leader who could help the young team in the battle for promotion. The impact came quickly: according to club data, he scored six goals and added three assists in his first nine league appearances. He finished the season with six league goals in 11 appearances, and his arrival gave the team additional confidence in the penalty area while attracting considerably more attention from opposing defences.
Schalke secured their return to the Bundesliga on 2 May with a victory over Fortuna Düsseldorf, and the second-division championship title was confirmed the following day. The club thus returned to the German elite after a three-year absence. Although promotion was not the result of one player alone, Džeko's goals during the crucial part of the spring half of the season were an important component of the final success. The official Bundesliga website highlighted that the experienced striker immediately improved the team's attacking efficiency in his first appearances, before a shoulder injury slowed him down during the spring. His role was also evident beyond the statistics, particularly in holding up the ball, playing with his back to goal and calming the team in demanding moments.
For Schalke, the question of a new contract is therefore about more than just another striker. In a short period of time, Džeko became one of the faces of the return to the Bundesliga, while his international reputation further increased interest in the club. At the same time, the new season brings a higher level of intensity, faster defences and the need to carefully manage the playing time of a player who celebrated his 40th birthday in March. The club must assess how often he can start matches, how to integrate him with the other strikers and what proportion of the overall budget is justified by his sporting and leadership value. Appearance and performance bonuses are precisely a way of sharing part of that risk between the club and the player.
Džeko wants to play, but the decision also involves his family
Baumann publicly stated as early as May that Schalke saw a possibility of continuing the cooperation and that Džeko could provide value in the Bundesliga both on the pitch and in the dressing room. At the time, he explained that the striker wanted to consider family circumstances before making a decision. That element remained important after the meeting in Dubrovnik. According to Sport Bild, Džeko made it clear to Baumann that he can still see himself playing professional football, but he did not want to immediately confirm that he would spend his final season in Gelsenkirchen. He will turn 41 in March 2027, meaning the decision naturally goes beyond ordinary negotiations about salary and contract duration.
Following the club season, Džeko also appeared at the 2026 World Cup in the United States of America, Canada and Mexico. Bosnia and Herzegovina progressed through the group stage, before losing 2-0 to hosts the United States in the round of 32 at the beginning of July. FIFA data confirm that the American national team won through goals from Folarin Balogun and Malik Tillman. After the elimination, Džeko went on holiday, which is why discussions about his club future were moved to the second half of July. Schalke coach Miron Muslić had previously said that the club would respect the agreed timetable and allow the player to recover from the competition and the disappointment following the elimination.
The additional time to decide therefore does not necessarily mean that Džeko is uninterested in Schalke. German reports suggest that he is seriously considering another season, but wants to be certain that he can accept the sporting commitments, the lifestyle and the possibility of ending his career far from the family home. On the other hand, the club cannot keep a place in attack open indefinitely. Preparations are under way, the market is changing from day to day, and the Bundesliga returnees must have sufficient depth before the first official matches. For that reason, both sides are trying to maintain a fair relationship while also protecting their own interests.
A return to the league where he built his European reputation
Should he accept Schalke's offer, Džeko would appear in the Bundesliga again after 15 years. He first arrived in Germany in 2007 as a Wolfsburg player, winning the championship title with the club in the 2008/09 season. He scored 26 league goals during that title-winning campaign, and a year later became the Bundesliga's top scorer with 22 goals. After Wolfsburg, he played for Manchester City, Roma, Inter, Fenerbahçe and Fiorentina, won titles in England and Italy and established himself as one of the most successful strikers of his generation. When Schalke signed him in January, the club specifically emphasised the combination of experience, his ability to operate as the focal point of the attack and his finishing skills.
His possible stay would also have a symbolic dimension. Schalke are returning to the Bundesliga with the ambition of stabilising after a period of sporting and financial upheaval, and the presence of a player with Džeko's profile could help both in the dressing room and in matches played under great pressure. However, the club must avoid a situation in which an individual's reputation becomes more important than the long-term structure of the team. A performance-based contract would therefore allow Schalke to reward concrete contributions while offering Džeko the opportunity to play once again at the highest level of German football. Such a model also reflects the fact that nobody can guarantee his playing time throughout the entire season in advance.
For Džeko, the choice is equally sporting and personal. Another season in Gelsenkirchen would offer him a return to Bundesliga stadiums, matches against the strongest German clubs and the possibility of ending his career in an environment where he quickly gained significant support from the fans. A move to another club could bring different financial or lifestyle conditions, while retirement would close a professional chapter that has lasted more than two decades. According to the information currently available, it has not been officially confirmed that he has a concrete offer from another club. Schalke's proposal is therefore currently the clearest option to have emerged publicly.
Schalke want an answer, but not at any cost
Baumann's journey to Dubrovnik shows that Schalke consider the negotiations with Džeko important and do not want to conduct them only by telephone or through intermediaries. The personal meeting enabled the club to directly present its financial limits, preparation plans and the striker's possible role in the new season. At the same time, the fact that no agreement was reached confirms that the decision is not a simple formality. Džeko must assess whether he wants to accept one final major competitive challenge, while Schalke must decide how long they can wait without consequences for squad planning. Within that balance, the final offer is not an ultimatum, but the last clearly defined framework.
The next step now primarily depends on Džeko. Should he accept the offer in the coming days, the beginning of August remains a realistic date for joining the team and gradually building up his physical condition. Should the decision be delayed, Schalke will likely intensify their search for another striker, especially if a player becomes available who fits within the limited budget and can immediately assume an important role. The club are not giving up on Džeko, but they are making it clear that their comeback season in the Bundesliga cannot depend on a single unresolved personnel decision. Dubrovnik brought the two sides closer to the conclusion of the negotiations, but the answer that will determine whether the cooperation continues for another year has not yet arrived.
Sources:
- Sport Bild / BILD – information about the meeting in Dubrovnik, the financial offer, the possible return at the beginning of August and the club budget (link)
- FC Schalke 04 – official announcement regarding Džeko's arrival in January 2026 and his role in the team (link)
- FC Schalke 04 – data on six goals and three assists, as well as the context of securing promotion (link)
- Bundesliga – overview of Džeko's performances, injury and contribution to Schalke's return to the top flight (link)
- FIFA – official result and statistical data from the United States – Bosnia and Herzegovina match at the 2026 World Cup (link)
- FC Schalke 04 – official schedule of friendly and competitive matches for the 2026/27 season (link)