Information published by the German newspaper Bild regarding the financial details of Edin Džeko’s contract at Schalke 04 quickly made waves beyond Germany, particularly in the Balkan region.
The topic quickly reached Croatian media, with the portal Indexreporting that Džeko’s earnings at the 2. Bundesliga club from Gelsenkirchen surprised many of his fans.
How Much Does “The Diamond” Really Earn?
According to Bild, the captain of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team will earn just under €300,000 in base salary by the end of the season at Schalke. If this amount is projected over a full season, it comes to roughly €600,000.
Index notes that these figures are not unusual even by regional standards.
Comparison to Dinamo and Hajduk
Index points out that several players at Dinamo Zagreb earn around €1 million per year, while Hajduk’s highest-paid player, Marko Livaja, earns an estimated €850,000 per season.
For additional context, Džeko reportedly earned around €5 million per year at Fenerbahçe, highlighting the financial sacrifice he made by moving to Schalke.
Bonus Clause if Schalke Returns to the Bundesliga
Džeko’s contract includes a special clause: if Schalke 04 secures promotion to the Bundesliga, he would receive an additional €400,000. Schalke currently sits at the top of the 2. Bundesliga, making this scenario very realistic.
Despite his star status, Džeko currently earns significantly less than Schalke’s highest-paid player captain Kenan Karaman (31)whose annual salary is estimated at around €800,000.
Euphoria in Germany and Goal on Debut
Edin Džeko’s transfer from Fiorentina to Schalke last week sparked genuine euphoria in German football. “The Diamond” was even presented as the greatest signing in the history of the 2. Bundesliga.
He quickly justified the hype: on Sunday, after coming off the bench, Džeko scored in the 19th-round derby against Kaiserslautern, helping Schalke secure a 2–2 draw and further boosting the optimism of the “Royal Blues” fans.
