8 games, 6 goals: How 40-year-old Edin Dzeko is reviving a fallen giant

Tom Weber

• 16 Mar 2026 15:00 CDT
• 9 min read

Analysis

Former Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko turns 40 tomorrow, but his decision to join Schalke 04 has revitalised his career and the fallen German giants.

The sixth-largest football club in the world in terms of membership, Schalke have spent more time in the 2. Bundesliga than in the top flight in recent years. The Gelsenkirchen side spent beyond their means in the late 2010s in a bid to return to the Champions League.

This had catastrophic consequences when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, leaving the club in dire straits financially. As a result, Schalke were relegated from the Bundesliga for the first time in 30 years in 2021.

Though they immediately bounced back, the bizarre hire of Frank Kramer as head coach in 2022 doomed them to relegation again the following year. Since 2023, they have been unsuccessfully trying to return to the Bundesliga promised land.

This season, though, is proving to be different. Thanks to the hire of former Plymouth boss Miron Muslic and ambitious January transfers, Schalke are poised to achieve promotion.

A resurgence fuelled by Bosnian brilliance

Muslic's arrival in the summer heralded a new era. Though he was a relative unknown at the time, the charismatic Austrian-Bosnian immediately won over the fans - and the team.

The 43-year-old brought compatriot Nikola Katic with him after coaching the hardy defender at Plymouth, which quickly turned out to be a masterstroke. Katic has been sensational for Schalke, alongside Hasan Kurucay, who joined from Belgian side Leuven.

Muslic's disciplined, defence-first approach was exactly what Schalke needed after two disastrous seasons of battling against the drop from the 2. Bundesliga. Though it wasn't always pretty - with Schalke being among the lowest-scoring teams in the league - they were top of the table at the winter break.

Schalke fans were already in dreamland then, but they were not prepared for what would follow in January, when new sporting director Frank Baumann and Muslic sought to give the team more attacking oomph.

The expectation was that star striker Moussa Sylla, who had been flirting with a transfer for some time, would be sold for big money, so Schalke decided to invest heavily. The names they were being linked with seemed like a fever dream, given their financial situation.

Despite being cash-strapped, the name Schalke still holds appeal. Playing in front of 62,000 fans at the Veltins-Arena and being part of the squad that gets the club back into the big time is attractive to players.

And so it was that Schalke managed to do the unthinkable when they signed former Premier League winner Edin Dzeko from Fiorentina. This was a transfer that wasn't about money, it was purely for the love of the game.

Dzeko, aged 39, had hardly played after his summer move from Fenerbahce to Florence, but he wasn't ready to hang up his boots yet. He still wanted to play and have fun on the pitch.

He decided to turn down a move to nouveau riche Paris FC in Ligue 1 and instead joined Schalke on a deal that was affordable to the club. Compatriots Muslic and Katic, of course, played a huge part in getting the Bosnian legend to sign.

As he admitted following his transfer, the two lit a fire in him to make the move and help Schalke get promoted. The deal created massive hype in Germany, as Dzeko was still a well-known figure after playing a vital role in Wolfsburg's iconic Bundesliga championship in 2009.

It was a transfer coup for Schalke, but it wasn't the only major deal. They also signed ex-Bundesliga star Dejan Ljubicic from Dinamo Zagreb, former wonderkid Adil Aouchiche from Sunderland, Anderlecht left-back Moussa Ndiaye and experienced back-up goalkeeper Kevin Muller.

Somewhat bizarrely, though, Schalke's form has dipped despite these major reinforcements. They still sit atop the 2. Bundesliga, but points have repeatedly been dropped so far this calendar year.

One man who can't be blamed for this is Dzeko. He has held up his end of the bargain. The striker, who turns 40 on Tuesday, has recorded nine goal contributions in six games. Despite his age, he has shown himself to be a game-changer at the 2. Bundesliga level.

He has scored in every home match so far, including at the weekend against promotion challengers Hannover. However, the veteran will not be available for Saturday's huge clash against second-placed Darmstadt because he received a harsh red card against Hannover.

He was given his marching orders after catching Husseyn Chakroun on the arm with his studs while trying to control a high ball. He attempted to pull out when he noticed the player, and there was no excessive force, but he was still sent off for dangerous play.

Schalke had a 2-0 lead when Dzeko saw red and were under the cosh for the remainder of the match. Errors from two of their most reliable players - Katic and goalkeeper Loris Karius - allowed Hannover to cut their lead in half and then equalise with the last kick of the game.

The game against Darmstadt will be huge for the rest of the season. Schalke currently have a two-point lead over the Lillies, but Dzeko's suspension will make this a tricky away game.

Still, Schalke remain the favourites to win the 2. Bundesliga this season and achieve promotion to the first division. Thanks to Muslic and Dzeko, the good times have returned to Gelsenkirchen.

The FootballTransfers app

Check out FootballTransfers' new app for all of football's big storylines, transfer rumours and exclusive news in one convenient place directly on your mobile device.

The FootballTransfers app is available in the Apple App Store. Download here:

•App Store