Schalke are already in talks with Tottenham midfielder Rafael van der Vaart.
The Daily Mail says there has already been contact between Schalke and van der Vaart's representatives and that the 29-year old would welcome the prospect of a fresh start in the Bundesliga, for personal as well as professional reasons.
Away from the pitch, it would solve the problem of his wife Sylvie having to spend more than half of every week away from home. She works for German television station RTL and is based in Cologne, barely 100 km from Schalke's ground.
Money is not a problem for Schalke, and they will have little difficulty at least matching the Holland midfielder's Tottenham wages, as well as paying a fee in excess of £10m.