Edin Dzeko, the Bosnia and Herzegovina captain, has committed to another season at Schalke, signing a one-year contract extension that will keep the 40-year-old striker at the Bundesliga club into the 2026-27 campaign.

Dzeko arrived at Schalke on a free transfer in January 2026 after leaving Italian side Fiorentina, and he wasted little time making his mark — scoring six goals in 11 Bundesliga 2 appearances as the club secured promotion back to Germany's top flight.

Dzeko still hungry for more

The veteran forward was characteristically direct when reflecting on the achievement. "Winning promotion to the Bundesliga ranks among the highlights of my career. It was unbelievable. Football has made me happy and driven me throughout my life. I am still hungry, and I want to help our team in the Bundesliga too," he said.

Dzeko also led Bosnia and Herzegovina at the FIFA World Cup 2026, underlining his continued importance to his country at international level despite his age.

A long road back to the Bundesliga

For Dzeko, the upcoming Bundesliga season will mark a return to the German top flight for the first time since the 2010-11 campaign, when he represented Wolfsburg before a £27 million move to Manchester City launched him onto the world stage.

Schalke director of football Youri Mulder backed the decision to extend the striker's deal, saying: "Our conversations over the past few weeks made it clear that Edin is still as hungry as ever. We therefore believe that he can help us in the Bundesliga too."

Chasing Bundesliga history

Should Dzeko feature regularly in the Bundesliga this season, he could enter the record books. Former Schalke defender Klaus Fichtel holds the competition's record as the oldest player to appear in a competitive Bundesliga fixture, at 43 years and 184 days old. Meanwhile, Claudio Pizarro remains the oldest goalscorer in Bundesliga history — he was 40 years and 227 days old when he netted for Werder Bremen against Borussia Dortmund. At 40, Dzeko is well within range of that latter mark.