Gelsenkirchen, Germany – Schalke captain Benedikt Hoewedes has snubbed offers from Arsenal and AC Milan as he will not make use of a buyout clause and rather stay at the Bundesliga club.
The Germany defender Hoewedes told Thursday’s edition of Kicker sports magazine that “these two clubs were really interested. But in the end my gut feeling was to stay at Schalke.”
Hoewedes, 27, has been at Schalke since 2007 but could have left for 17 million euros (19.1 million dollars) in summer.
Schalke failed to qualify for the Champions League as they came a modest sixth last season but Hoewedes said that he is optimistic for the future after talks with new coach Andre Breitenreiter and sports director Horst Heldt.
He said both gave him “a very positive feeling that we are developing something here and can achieve something worthy of Schalke.” – DPA-ANA