Manchester City hope to sell Robinho to Schalke to fund a bid for Benfica defender David Luiz.
The Mirror says Schalke have made a surprise inquiry for Robinho and hinted that they could pay as much as £18 million to take him as a new star signing beside Spanish legend Raul.
The Bundesliga outfit are in the Champions League and have the money to go for Robinho who is back at City after a loan spell at Santos in his homeland.
Robinho would like to go back to Santos but City are keen to recoup some of the one-time record £32.5 million fee they paid for him two years ago - and Schalke's interest is timely.
City are reeling after Benfica quoted them £33 million for Brazilian centre half Luiz. The Portuguese giants are trying to play them off against Chelsea but neither club is willing to go that high.
