Schalke move Fabian Ernst and Albert Streit

In the final day of the transfer window die Königsblauen saw Fabian Ernst and Albert Streit leave the club.

Of Fabian Ernst, the veteran moves on to Istanbul giant Beşiktaş. General manager Andreas Müller said of the transfer:

"Fabian approached us with the request to consider the bid from Besiktas. From a business point of view the offer was so attractive for us and for the player that we decided to sit down together and discuss it. Agreeing to the transfer wasn't easy, but we had to weigh up what's best for the club and for Fabian in the long term. The key factor in our decision was that Fabian wanted the move himself. Without his agreement the transfer would not have happened", adding "Fabian Ernst most definitely had a hand in the success enjoyed by the club since 2005. We'd like to thank him for that."

With regards to Albert Streit, he joins Hamburger SV on-loan till seasons end with an option to purchase. After being disgruntled with life die Königsblauen it was the best for both parties, to which Andreas Müller said:

"Albert has repeatedly expressed a desire to move on in recent weeks and months. He has now been given an opportunity to show what he can do in Hamburg during the Rückrunde."