Transfer almost collapsed by a hair: FC Schalke 04 boss reveals mad drama on deadline day

Moments before the close of the transfer window, FC Schalke 04 completed the signing of Hee-chan Hwang. How tight the operation was has now been revealed by sporting director Frank Baumann.

Speaking to the Sky microphone, Baumann revealed the deal was only completed seconds before the transfer deadline: "When we got confirmation that everything had been uploaded in the DFB system, there were 35 seconds left before the transfer deadline."

The technology itself proved an unexpected obstacle. "What used to be the fax machine is now the digital world with things like the digital signature," said Baumann, who has been Schalke's managing director for sport since 2025.

With time running out, Hwang only underwent his medical after signing officially. "Of course that's a certain risk, but in a loan deal over ten months it is manageable. If we had invested three million euros, we wouldn't have done it," Baumann explained.

Schalke wrapped up the loan deal for the 30-year-old South Korean yesterday, Tuesday. Hwang will join on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers for the coming season, and there is reportedly no option to buy.

When will Hee-chan Hwang make his debut for FC Schalke 04?

Following the arrivals of Satoshi Tanaka (Düsseldorf), Junior Dina Ebimbe (Frankfurt), Junior Adamu (Freiburg), Kevin Müller (Heidenheim), Maximilian Wöber (Leeds) and Robin Gosens (Florence), the forward is the Royal Blues' sixth external new signing. Schalke have also extended the expired contracts of Edin Dzeko and Loris Karius .

Hwang could make his S04 debut as early as next Saturday, when the Royal Blues host Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga. Schalke opened their return to the Bundesliga with a 3-0 defeat to Augsburg.