FC Schalke 04 have completed the signing of forward Pape Meïssa Ba from French second-division side Grenoble Foot. The 27-year-old Senegalese striker, who has netted 10 goals in 18 appearances this season, has signed a contract with the Royal Blues running until 30th June 2028.

“Pape Meïssa Ba will provide us with an additional attacking option. He has demonstrated his goalscoring ability in France, having netted an impressive 21 goals over the past 18 months for Grenoble. We have followed him closely and believe he will strengthen our squad. We are delighted that he has chosen to join Schalke 04 with immediate effect,” said Youri Mulder, Schalke’s director of professional football.

Expressing his excitement about the move, Ba said:

“Playing in Germany’s 2. Bundesliga feels like the right step for me at this stage of my career. My discussions with the club were very positive, and I am delighted that the deal is finalised. I am now an FC Schalke 04 player, and I will give my absolute best for the team.”

Schalke’s new number 10 first moved to France in the winter of 2019 from Senegal, starting with ESTAC Troyes’ reserve team before earning a place in their first-team squad in Ligue 2 later that year. He joined fellow Ligue 2 side Red Star FC in 2021, scoring 27 goals in 52 competitive appearances for the Paris-based club.

Ba moved to Grenoble Foot in the summer of 2022, where he found the net 26 times across 95 league and cup matches before securing his move to Schalke.