Jesper Lindstrøm’s loan to Schalke 04 stalls over purchase clause dispute

Jesper Lindstrøm's loan move to Schalke 04 has hit a snag due to a dispute over the purchase clause. The 26-year-old Danish international is still at the club's headquarters in Gelsenkirchen while negotiations continue between Schalke and Napoli. The German side is reportedly unhappy with Napoli's proposed method to activate the buyback option.

Lindstrøm's potential transfer to Schalke was expected to move forward once he completed his medical but Napoli have reportedly sought to change the terms. Schalke wishes to include a mandatory purchase clause for a fee of €5 million, which could be triggered by a certain number of appearances. Napoli, however, are pushing for a lower price tied to an even more restrictive appearance threshold.

As a result, Schalke have put a halt to negotiations and will only resume talks if Napoli agree to revert to the initially agreed terms. Lindstrøm, who spent last season on loan at Wolfsburg, made four Bundesliga starts and 11 substitute appearances last campaign. His estimated market value has reportedly dropped to around €4 million.