Ali Ahmed has become the target of German club "Schalke 04", but the Vancouver Whitecaps are blocking his potential move to Europe. The 24-year-old Canadian midfielder is reportedly open to joining the struggling 2. Bundesliga side, seeing it as a stepping stone to eventually reach a top European league.
The Whitecaps have made their position clear - they won't sell Ahmed before Monday's German transfer deadline. Not surprising given their current situation. The Canadian club is already missing Ryan Gauld for the entire season, while Brian White recently suffered an injury against "St. Louis CITY SC" that will keep him sidelined for some time.
Schalke's current offer falls significantly short of Vancouver's valuation. The German club has bid less than half of Ahmed's €3 million market value - a figure the Whitecaps insist must be met before any transfer talks can progress.
Interestingly, "Schalke" recently sold youngster Taylan Bulut to "Besiktas" for €6 million and are attempting to offload Moussa Sylla before the transfer window closes. The club needs to generate positive transfer revenue each window to maintain their license in Germany's top two divisions.
Worth noting that Ahmed's versatility makes him particularly valuable. The 17-time Canadian international can play as a box-to-box midfielder, left-winger, and even as a wing-back on either side of the pitch.
The Whitecaps have just signed star Thomas Müller and have ambitions to win both the Canadian Championship and MLS Cup - hardly the time to let a key player walk. But will Schalke up their offer before Monday's deadline? For a fallen giant looking to return to the Bundesliga, Ahmed might be worth meeting that €3 million asking price.
