Justin Heekeren is set to join FC Schalke 04. Only the final formalities remain for his late signing as a goalkeeper.
On Thursday, Justin Heekeren was back on the training field with the FC Schalke 04 first team. During the recovery session, which included many small soccer competitions, he showcased his skills with the ball. Having recovered from a muscle injury, Schalke’s number two is once again ready to return to the bench as a backup for starting goalkeeper Loris Karius.
However, Heekeren will not be joining the Royal Blues for the second half of the season. The 1.96-meter-tall goalkeeper, whose contract expires on June 30, 2026, is highly likely to transfer to the historic Belgian club RSC Anderlecht. Schalke already has a replacement lined up.
Heekeren’s Schalke contract runs through June 2026, but within the club, it was considered highly unlikely that it would be extended. Heekeren had received several offers for the summer, but he is now making the move this winter. At Anderlecht, Heekeren will initially serve as the backup goalkeeper, replacing Mads Kikkenborg—who was the second-string goalkeeper in the first half of the season—as he moves to Norway.
The clear number one for the fourth-place team in the Jupiler Pro League is 33-year-old captain Colin Coosemans, who has played in every game this season but hasn’t remained error-free. A solid future at a traditional club that regularly competes in European competitions—that’s a career leap for Heekeren.
Schalke wouldn’t actually need to reinforce the goalkeeper position if Heekeren leaves. Homegrown players Luca Podlech and Johannes Siebeking are fit. However, since Schalke sees them as more of a mid-term solution to step in should Karius get injured, they’re bringing in Kevin Müller from Bundesliga club 1. FC Heidenheim as Heekeren’s replacement, as Sky first reported.
Müller, 34, whose contract runs through 2027, is set to be loaned out until the end of the season. A final agreement has reportedly been reached, and the medical exam is scheduled for tomorrow, Monday. Afterward, the goalkeeper—who has Bundesliga experience—is expected to sign his contract.
Schalke prospect Müller: Nine years as Heidenheim’s starting goalkeeper
Müller has played for Heidenheim since 2015 and helped the club move up from the 2nd to the 1st Bundesliga. For nine years, he was the undisputed starting goalkeeper, playing 330 competitive matches for FCH. This season, however, Müller lost his starting spot to Diant Ramaj. During the winter break, he received several offers. The offer from Schalke was apparently the most appealing to the ardent fan of the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks.