Wilmots considering Schalke offer

Marc Wilmots is in contact with Schalke to replace Roberto Di Matteo and will leave Belgium’s national team if he wants to.

The 46-year-old coach has been heavily linked with Schalke since Di Matteo quit last week, with Wilmots having twice played for the Bundesliga club during his playing career.

The former attacking midfielder scored 38 goals in 178 appearances in all competitions for Schalke, playing there from 1996-2000 and 2001-2003, and confirmed on Friday that he is interested in coaching the Gelsenkirchen-based club.

“I am in contact with Schalke and never said that I would stay until 2018 with the national team,” he told reporters at Belgium’s training camp, which is being held in the lead-up to a friendly against France and a Euro 2016 qualifier versus Wales.

“I can activate my exit clause at any time.”

Signing with Schalke would also give Wilmots another shot at coaching the club, after he was made interim coach at the end of the 2002-03 season, following Frank Neubarth’s unsuccessful stint in charge.

Wilmots has coached his country’s national team since 2012, while his only permanent club coaching role was with Sint-Truiden in 2004-05.