FC Schalke prodigy Matthew Hoppe is starting to attract widespread attention among Premier League clubs, with Manchester United and Liverpool reportedly interested.
Matthew Hoppe became an overnight sensation when he bagged a brilliant hat-trick to fire FC Schalke to their first win of the Bundesliga campaign earlier this year. The forward has continued to impress the onlookers with his performances, duly attracting a host of Premier League clubs including Liverpool and Manchester United, as per 90 Min.
A native of California, Hoppe isn’t a product of the iconic Knappenschmiede youth academy at Schalke. He was, however, roped in from the FC Barcelona academy located in Casa Grande in the summer of 2019. A decision to move to Germany was an easy choice for him considering the influx of American players in the Bundesliga in recent years.
Hoppe’s rapid rise to prominence, however, was highly unprecedented, perhaps even for the player, who has moved ahead of Goncalo Paciencia and Klaas Jan Huntelaar in the pecking order, becoming the club’s primary centre-forward. The youngster is indeed set for an exciting Ruckrunde – as covered in our earlier blog.
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In just 11 Bundesliga matches, Hoppe has netted five goals, helping Schalke improve their offensive unit. His influence hasn’t gone unnoticed among Premier League clubs, it seems, with the main title contenders this season closely tracking his progress.
If the report is to be believed, the English clubs are looking to take advantage of the striker’s current situation of FC Schalke as the club could be forced to sell the youngster in the likely event of their relegation this season. The Royal Blues are already languishing at the rock bottom of the league table, with no real hopes of a second-half miracle that could save their campaign.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is already aware of the talent Bundesliga produces, having managed Bayern Munich for several years. In Hoppe, he could find an ideal long-term replacement option for Sergio Aguero, who has been linked with a free transfer to FC Barcelona in the summer.
Liverpool, too, could make a strong case as they continue to scour the market for a reliable alternative for Roberto Firmino, whose lack of productivity remains a cause for concern for Jurgen Klopp. As for their arch-rivals Manchester United, they are looking for more attacking reinforcements in the summer, making Hoppe an appealing alternative due to his age and scoring prowess.
The American, however, might not be ready for a switch just yet, and it won’t be surprising to see him remaining at Veltina Arena beyond this summer. Schalke already rate him quite highly, and the player could be a central feature in the team’s complete rebuilding process next season.
