Official: Schalke sign Kolodziejczak

Former Borussia Mönchengladbach center-half Timothée Kolodziejczak is officially once again a Bundesliga player after FC Schalke 04 inked the 31-year-old to a professional contract good through the end of the season. 

After training with die Königsblauen for a period of some weeks, further defensive injuries have compelled FC Schalke 04 to sign French defender Timothée Kolodziejczak to a professional deal. The 31-year-old had spent the summer as a free-agent after his contract with AS Saint-Etienne expired at the end of last season.
Already without central defenders Sepp van den Berg and Ibrahima Cissé, Schalke received yet another double whammy dose of bad injury news this week when it was revealed that both Leo Greiml and Marcin Kaminski would be lot long-term. S04 sporting director Rouven Schröder made clear that the club needed to take decisive action at the unveiling.

“With four injured central defenders, it is extremely important to get an additional option in the form of a player who has an incredible amount of experience at the highest level,” Schröder said, “He [Kolodzierjczak] can be used as a center back or left back and play in both a three-man and a four-man back line.”

Schalke interim-trainer Matthias Kreuzer indicated that he absolutely considered the Frenchman an option for the upcoming weekend fixture against Hertha. The caretaker coach emphasized that the veteran had already been training with the team and brought enough experience with him.

In point of fact, Kolodziejczak has made only two Bundesliga appearance in his career. Borussia Mönchengladbach utilized him (ironically enough both times against Schalke in the 2016/17 campaign. After failing to crack the squad, he was eventually sold to Tigres UANL in the Mexican League.

“I am very happy that I am now officially a part of the team,” Kolodziejczak noted in his own statement, “The team gave me a great reception right from the start and integrated me directly as if I were much more than a trial player.”

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