After a little more than a year
Doning at Schalke 04: Cader planner must go
Updated on September 22nd, 2025 – 1:13 p.m.Reading time: 2 min.
Ben Manga came to Schalke 04 as a hopeful. But after three transfer periods, the squad planner must report reportedly.
FC Schalke separates from Ben Manga. The director of professional football and squad planner must go with immediate effect. Schalke 04 announced on Monday. Previously, the “Bild” and the TV broadcaster Sky had reported on it.
Sports board member Frank Baumann said: “As announced when I took office, I have used the past few months to get a comprehensive picture of our sporting area. After the end of the main transfer period, we carefully analyzed what works well and where we see potential.” Apparently, this potential was seen in the squad planning, which is why the club decided to separate. “Ben joined the club in a difficult phase and was able to put impulses in his areas. We thank him for his work and wish him all the best professionally and privately,” said Baumann.
Manga has been in the club since summer 2024, should lead a change at Schalke 04 at the time, lead the second division giant towards the Bundesliga. But both with a few transfers and with his coaching election Kees van Wonderen, manga was more wrong. Apart from Moussa Sylla, hardly any committed new addition, and van Wonderen had to go again after three quarters. Neither Felipe Sánchez (1.2 million euros) nor Pape Meïssa BA (0.3 million) or Aris Bayindir (0.2 million) met expectations. At that time new additions such as Ron-Thorben Hoffmann, Martin Wasinski or Aymen Barkok are already gone.
The public criticism of Van Wonderen’s predecessor Karel Geraerts, who hardly used manas bought players, also led to unrest in the club.
After the arrival of sports director Frank Baumann in the summer of this year, manga was a little less present in public, had focused on the scouting of new players. Baumann and sports director Youri Mulder took over the public relations work.
According to “Bild”, Schalke Manga pays a compensation of around 800,000 euros for the early.