Robin Gosens Returns to Schalke After Fiorentina Exit
Robin Gosens arrived in Florence two years ago talking about a dream. He left this week talking about a wound.
The German full-back has completed his move to Schalke 04, the club he supported as a boy, after being abruptly frozen out at Fiorentina and ordered not to report for pre-season under new coach Fabio Grosso. He was under contract until June 2028. It did not matter.
Told he was no longer part of the project, Gosens had little choice but to look elsewhere. The solution came quickly: a deal with Schalke, believed to be a loan with an obligation to buy for around €2.5m plus add-ons. A modest fee for a player who, not long ago, was a key figure in Serie A and in Europe.
The move was confirmed today. The emotions had clearly been building for days.
‘Not like this, not this way’
On social media, Gosens did not hide his bitterness at how his Fiorentina story had been cut short by the club’s hierarchy.
“When two years ago I had the opportunity to play for Fiorentina, I was happy. I never could’ve imagined how much happier I would become as time went by,” he wrote. “We found a home here, my first year went incredibly well, the second incredibly badly.
“But what never changed was that every single day here, I gave my life. On the field and off it. I always behaved fairly, towards everyone.
“Today a chapter closes that I didn't think would close. Not like this, not this way, and not with these dynamics. It is unexpected, and precisely because of that, it is painful.”
The contrast in his memories is stark. From the high of scoring in a UEFA Conference League semi-final first leg at the Artemio Franchi against Real Betis, celebrating under the Curva, to the low of being told not to bother turning up for pre-season. From leading the charge in big Serie A nights at San Siro to training alone, wondering where it had all turned.
Gosens admitted he had spent recent days in deep reflection.
“I went to train without creating chaos and I am still trying to understand what could've happened in such a short space of time,” he said. “The drastic decision to exclude me from the squad struck me deeply, because I think this story deserved a different ending.
“The clubs quite rightly want players to feel a core identity, to have gratitude, respect and effort, but the same is true in reverse.
“I believe that I have always given all of that. I would've loved the opportunity to fight for my place, but there's no point fighting when there is no possibility of victory.”
Gratitude amid the resentment
The sting of exclusion is obvious, yet his farewell is not a scorched-earth attack. Gosens took time to thank almost everyone he worked with in Florence.
“As far as I am concerned, I leave here only with gratitude,” he wrote. “Gratitude for the intense and wonderful time we spent together in this club, in this incredible city. And I leave aware that I left my heart and soul here, with every second.”
“My lads, who became like brothers to me, the kit staff, chefs and waiters. Every single coach and his staff, from whom I was always able to learn something. The medical staff, without whom it wouldn't have been possible to play, and who last year received too much criticism (a lot of it unjust).”
The bond with the supporters also ran deep.
“The fans who gave me the sensation that what I did had meaning and made me feel at home from the first minute. To Rocco Commisso and his family, who gave me this opportunity.”
The message is layered. Hurt at the way the decision was made. Respect for those who stood beside him. No direct attack on Grosso by name, but no disguising where he believes the rupture came from: the club’s choice to cut him out, without a fight for his place.
Back where it all began
At 32, after spending most of his professional career in Italy, Gosens now circles back to the start of his footballing love story. Schalke is not just another club on his CV; it is the badge he grew up cheering.
“Fortunately, my destiny is taking me right back to the beginning. Where my love for this sport started, and where the journey to make my dreams come true began.
“I love you all. See you soon. Robin.”
From Florence to Gelsenkirchen, he swaps the purple of Fiorentina for the royal blue of his childhood. The ending in Tuscany was brutal, abrupt, and, in his words, undeserved. The beginning in Germany will be measured in how quickly he can turn that pain into purpose for a club that means more to him than most.
Fiorentina move on with a new coach and a reshaped squad. Gosens moves on with a point to prove and a home to return to.
