By Can Erozden
ANKARA (AA) - German football club Schalke 04 signed Stuttgart's Turkish center back Ozan Kabak on Sunday.
"Welcome to Schalke 04, Ozan Kabak! It's great to see you in Royal Blue!," Schalke said on Twitter to announce their new signing.
Last season's German top-tier Bundesliga rookie Ozan Kabak, 19, has worn Schalke's traditional royal blue home kit as "Die Knappen" (The Miners) put his photo on website.
"We are delighted to secured the signing of one of the current biggest young talents in Europe. Despite interest from several other noteworthy clubs, Ozan Kabak has opted to join us," a Schalke executive, Jochen Schneider, said.
Turkish international Kabak, who came from Galatasaray's youth academy, was a first team player in the Istanbul club before moving to Stuttgart in January.
Last season he had 15 Bundesliga appearances with Stuttgart and scored three goals.
It's not the first time that Schalke transferred a Turkish player as a famous Turkish veteran, Hamit Altintop played for this club from 2003 to 2007, then he moved to German powerhouse Bayern Munich.
His twin, Halil was also a Schalke player between 2006 and 2010.
Separately, a former Turkey forward, Hami Mandirali, spent the 1998-99 season at Schalke 04.