Edin Dzeko is expected to be a key player in FC Schalke 04’s return to the Bundesliga—even if he himself is being cautious about it.

Edin Dzeko won the championship with VfL Wolfsburg in 2009. Since then, the 39-year-old Bosnian’s career has taken off. Manchester City, AS Roma, Inter Milan, Fenerbahçe Istanbul, AC Florence.

But at Fiorentina, he was no longer in demand. “I don’t want to talk too much about this topic. It didn’t go the way I wanted, the way Florence wanted. That’s just a different experience. Now I’m here and looking ahead,” he said at his introductory press conference on Thursday.

That’s how Schalke was able to pounce in the winter and actually bring the striker to Gelsenkirchen’s Berger Feld. Dzeko will be competing for the championship again, though this time in the second division. “I don’t care whether I’m playing in the 1st or 2nd Bundesliga. I just see that I’m playing for Schalke 04. “It’s something else to play for Schalke. An amazing stadium, these fans who are always there, just like in Berlin. I’m really looking forward to the months ahead,” he said.

Even during his time at Wolfsburg, he had viewed Schalke as an interesting club. One that he naturally wants to bring back to the Bundesliga with all his experience and world-class talent. Even if he doesn’t say it that way. “The second half of the season is always tougher than the first, everywhere I’ve played. Schalke is in first place, so there’s a bit more pressure now. We have to take it one game at a time; looking too far ahead doesn’t help. The match against Kaiserslautern is the most important game of the season. Once that’s over, the match against Bochum is the most important game of the season.”

He’s expected to make an immediate impact. “Settling in won’t be a problem. I’ve seen and experienced a lot in my career,” he said. He’s confident he can contribute a lot to Schalke. “There has to be pressure. Pressure is sometimes positive for me. Pressure can always push you forward a bit. Expectations are very high, but you have to get through it. It’s all in your head; you have to deal with that.”

On Friday, January 23, Dzeko will train with the team for the first time. Will he be ready for the squad by Sunday, January 25, at 1:30 p.m., against 1. FC Kaiserslautern? “We’ll have to see what the coach plans and what’s best for Schalke. For now, I’m just happy that I can train with the team tomorrow,” said the new signing cautiously.

In any case, an injury won’t be the reason: “Twenty days ago, I took a kick, had an MRI, and was diagnosed with just a bruise. I’ve been training again for ten days now; that won’t be a problem.”