After a week of claims that Markus Schubert would join Arsenal on a free transfer, it looked as if the goalkeeper would actually sign for Schalke before his girlfriend posed in an Arsenal shirt causing all manner of confusion.

DRESDEN, GERMANY - JULY 19: Goalkeeper Markus Schubert of Dynamo Dresden poses during the Dynamo Dresden Team Presentation on July 19, 2016 in Dresden, Germany. (Photo by Boris Streubel/Bongarts/Getty Images)
DRESDEN, GERMANY – JULY 19: Goalkeeper Markus Schubert of Dynamo Dresden poses during the Dynamo Dresden Team Presentation on July 19, 2016 in Dresden, Germany. (Photo by Boris Streubel/Bongarts/Getty Images)

The Independent reported that, although an Arsenal deal wasn’t officially completed, Arsenal were close enough to finalising the signing of Markus Schubert that they were already speaking to various clubs about loaning him out next season.

The Gunners were reportedly in contact with Championship clubs and teams back in Germany about a temporary transfer for the incoming goalkeeper, so they must have been pretty confident.

Then, however, it was claimed Schubert would actually sign for Schalke (and be loaned to Stuttgart) which might come as a bit of a surprise to his girlfriend who probably knows more about what is going on that those reporting on it, me included:

What is known is that Schubert is a free transfer because he’s out of contract although Arsenal will still have to pay €560k if it goes ahead.

Bild claim this is the amount of ‘training compensation’ Arsenal will have to fork out due to Schubert’s age (he’s 21).

The amount is calculated by multiplying the number of years he was with Dresden (eight) by €70k and it is expected to be paid ‘within four weeks of signing the contract’.

He is currently valued at around twice that amount so, while he wouldn’t be technically free, he would still represent a bargain.