Altintop staying with Schalke

Striker rejects rumours adding he will stay at club for year at least

By Thomas Zocher   Last updated: 17th July 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Altintop staying with Schalke

Altintop: Not interested in Turkey move

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Halil Altintop has confirmed that he will stay at Schalke for another season, despite reports linking him with a move to Turkey.

The Gelsenkirchen-born Turkish international has been strongly tipped to join various Super Lig clubs in the same week that his twin brother Hamit Altintop similarly had to fend off talk of moving to Turkey.

The 26-year-old has scored just 16 goals in 85 league games at Schalke since joining in 2006 but is determined to make a good impression on new boss Felix Magath.

The frontman even stressed that he would be willing to sit down with club officials to discuss a new deal at some point next season.

"I am fully motivated to get myself a first-team role under Felix Magath at Schalke and I do not spend my time mulling over a transfer," he told Neue Ruhr.

"I was born in Gelsenkirchen and I am Schalke player for one more season. I like being at this club and I know the club and I will sit down and discuss new terms at some point during the upcoming season."

Meanwhile Schalke have confirmed that they will not be offering Japanese trialist Naoya Kikuchi from third division side Jena a contract.