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Schalke looking for "fresh blood"

Davis Van OpdorpDecember 27, 2015

Schalke sporting director Horst Heldt has said in an interview that he plans to look for "fresh blood" to strengthen his squad. His peer at Gladbach, Max Eberl, unveiled his plans to deal with an injury-plagued roster.

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Bundesliga Bayer Leverkusen - FC Schalke 04
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/M. Hitij

Following a sixth-place Bundesliga finish a season ago, Schalke find themselves in the exact same position at the halfway point of this season. With the transfer window opening in a few days' time, sporting director Horst Heldt told the Bundesliga's official website that "fresh blood" was coming to his squad.

"Basically we need to do something with our midfield, both in the offensive and the defensive areas," said Heldt. "For the second half of the season, we will set out to go far internationally, despite the difficult draw - against Shakhtar Donetsk. For that, we need a lot of quality, both Andre Breitenreiter and I are convinced that we need to do more work."

Heldt said he planned on going shopping in "both the German market and the international market" to find his midfield solution, one he hopes can play in several positions. Schalke may have some money still to spend as well, coming off a summer with their biggest transfer profit of 27 million euros ($29.6 million) in the summer.

Mönchengladbach vs Hamburger SV Bundesliga Tony Jantschke
Image: Reuters/I. Fassbender

Jantschke, Schulz out for the season

Another club that may also need strengthening is Borussia Mönchengladbach, who have lost defender Tony Jantschke and midfielder Nico Schulz for the rest of the season.

"Nico Schulz and Tony Jantschke will not be at our disposal this season," Gladbach's sporting director, Max Eberl told the club's official website.

Jantschke has already missed seven of Gladbach's 26 matches in all competitions this season, having suffered from various ailments before injuring his knee in December. Schulz, who the Foals acquired from Hertha Berlin at the end of August, only made four appearances before injuring his knee.

Gladbach overcame a slow start to enter the winter break in fourth place in the Bundesliga table. Their injury list, which also includes Martin Stranzl, Ibrahima Traore, Patrick Hermann and Andre Hahn is starting to stack up, though. However, Eberl assured he would not use the winter transfer period to seek quick-fixes to his squad's injury problems.

"I have already said that we won't act in a desperate manner, but rather only make transfers meant to help us in the long term. Six-month loans are also a possibility."