Schalke 04: 20 most expensive transfers in Schalke 04 history
By Josh Sippie
17. Adam Szalai—$8.8
And thus we arrive at the first of many poor investments of money. When you consider that he cost the same amount as Amine Harit except three years earlier, it takes on an even bigger eyebrow raise. By that standard, Szalai has to be considered the more expensive signing over Harit, and let’s just say it didn’t pan out.
Szalai only spent one year at Schalke and, to be fair, he wasn’t all that bad in that year. He started 14 matches and subbed in another 14, managing 1418 minutes in that time. Overall, he accounted for seven goals scored. Which, again, isn’t all that bad.
What’s bad about the Szalai move is that Die Knappen turned around and sold him the following summer for $6.6m.
Meaning they wasted $2.2m, and for what? Szalai still had the same market value when he arrived at Schalke, who paid over his value, as he did when he was sold to Hoffenheim, who paid under his value.
A transfer to forget about.
Staying current with No. 16