Everton full-back Jonjoe Kenny could be an option for Schalke after first-choice target Mitchell Weiser picked up a thigh injury.
That means a move to Schalke this month is not going to happen, but the German side’s need for a right-back has not gone away.
They are likely to look elsewhere on the market and, according to Der Westen, that could see them try and do another deal for Kenny.
He spent last season on loan with the Bundesliga club and proved to be a massive hit, establishing himself as the first-choice at the club and earning rave reviews in the process.
He’s barely featured under Carlo Ancelotti since returning, with the Italian even preferring Mason Holgate at right-back when Seamus Coleman was out injured.
That, according to Der Westen, has made the ‘option of a loan become interesting’ for Schalke once again.
They state that ‘a deal beckons that makes sense for all sides’, explaining that Everton would get a player off their wage bill, Schalke would get a ‘tried and tested’ player in a position of need, and Kenny could recommend himself to potential buyers for the summer.
Schalke’s interest comes from the fact they cannot sign Weiser from Bayer Leverkusen after he suffered a thigh injury.
That’s led them to look for alternatives and Kenny, who they were so impressed by last season, ‘comes to mind’.
They are yet to make a move or even discuss a transfer, but the idea is certainly there and one to keep an eye on.
