GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany (AP) 鈥� Schalke has convinced Bosnia star Edin D啪eko to stay another year for its return to the .
The veteran forward鈥檚 future was uncertain after he helped Schalke last season before he went to the World Cup, but the club said Monday he had agreed to stay on for the upcoming season.
鈥淎fter a successful second half to the season for the Royal Blues, the captain of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team has signed a new one-year contract,鈥� Schalke said in a statement. 鈥淒啪eko will begin training at Schalke on Tuesday.鈥�
D啪eko, who turned 40 in March, from Italian side Fiorentina in January. He scored six goals and set up three more in 11 second-division appearances.
D啪eko made his return from a shoulder injury in a substitute appearance as Schalke clinched promotion with a 1-0 win over Fortuna D眉sseldorf in May. He was cagey when asked if he would stay for its Bundesliga campaign, but now Schalke fans have the answer they were hoping for.
鈥淓din has given Schalke something special in his roughly four and a half months here so far,鈥� Schalke sporting director Youri Mulder said. 鈥淗e was a key player and a fan favorite, and he was always a role model with his personality on and off the field. In our discussions over the last few weeks, it became clear that Edin is still passionate about the game. That鈥檚 why we鈥檙e convinced he鈥檒l help us in the Bundesliga as well.鈥�
D啪eko became a star at Wolfsburg where he helped the team win the Bundesliga title in 2009. He also won the Premier League title with Manchester City in 2012 and 鈥�14 and the Italian Cup with Inter Milan in 2022 and 鈥�23.
鈥淪ince winter at Schalke I鈥檝e experienced a super team and fantastic fans,鈥� D啪eko was quoted as saying by the club. 鈥淭he promotion to the Bundesliga is among the highlights of my career. It was unbelievable. Football has made me happy for my whole life and it drives me on. I still have hunger. And I also want to help our team in the Bundesliga.鈥�
Schalke鈥檚 first game back after three seasons away is at Augsburg on Aug. 30.
D啪eko will continue to wear the No. 10 jersey, Schalke said.
D啪eko is Bosnia鈥檚 record goal-scorer with 73 from a record 151 games.
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