Schalke boss David Wagner has expressed his desire to keep Everton defender Jonjoe Kenny, but has made it clear the club cannot afford to buy him and instead would like to extend his loan.
Kenny, who joined Schalke on loan last summer, has enjoyed a very decent season in Gelsenkirchen – impressing fans and pundits alike.
It seems he has also very much impressed his manager, who told Sky Sports of his desire to keep the youngster in Germany.
“He has done great for us since we signed him on loan. He’s a regular starter, he’s scored and given assists and he’s a great bloke as well,” said the Schalke boss.
“He’s highly respected in the dressing room and from our supporters.
“It looks like we won’t have the financial power to buy him and if Everton like to sell him then we are more or less chanceless. We are very keen to keep him at our club, and if there is a chance to extend the loan then obviously we’d like to speak.
“But with all the clubs it’s difficult to have conversations because nobody knows how much money we’ll have next season and in the summer and this makes it difficult to negotiate anything at the moment.”
Currently, TrasnferMarkt value Jonjoe Kenny at £8.55m, but after his performances this season coupled with his still relatively young age (23), the price Schalke will have to pay will likely be a fair amount more than that.
Away from transfers, Wagner also gave his thoughts on when the Bundesliga could return to action.
“Nobody knows what’s happening but I don’t expect us to play until the middle of May at the earliest,” he said.
“For the last two-and-a-half weeks we have been training on the grass but only in groups of two.
“And then in the second week in groups of eight but without any challenges, so the players have had to keep their distance of two metres between themselves and their team-mates. So it’s not real training but more passing and shooting drills.”
Even if the season has to restart behind closed doors, Schalke boss Wagner says it’s important that the the football get back underway.
“I think for us it is our only chance to play as soon as possible, and we have to be realistic,” Wagner added.
“The most important thing is we play and we get the television money. The clubs need it because if we wait for months then some clubs will not survive, so we have no chance.”
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