Loris Karius is back! Liverpool flop signs for fallen German giants months after his partner asked him to leave 'very inconvenient' Newcastle

Karius joined Newcastle United in September 2022 on a free transfer after his previous loan stints with Besiktas and Union Berlin from Liverpool. However, his time at the club was far from impactful, as he made only two appearances during his tenure at Tyneside. The German shot-stopper had been without a club since his contract with the Magpies expired at the end of the 2023-24 season and the new short-term deal until the end of the campaign provides Karius a fresh lease of life to revive his career.

At Schalke, Karius will face competition for the number one spot from 22-year-old Justin Heekeren. The German side aim to make a strong push for better results in the second half of the season as they currently sit in 13th place in Bundesliga 2.

The decision to move to Schalke comes just months after Karius’ fiancée, Diletta Leotta, openly expressed her desire for him to leave Newcastle. Leotta, a prominent Italian sports presenter, resides in Milan, while Karius spent much of his time in northern England, which was hampering his family life. In an interview with Tuttosport, Leotta candidly discussed the challenges posed by the distance between them.

"Loris has people by his side who are working for him," he said. "I hope he makes the best choice for his career. I live in Milan and so let's say that close to Milan in terms of comfort would be ideal for us."

She added: "Monza or any other team in Italy. I would be happy if she could come and play in Italy and be close to his family. Newcastle is very inconvenient because there are no direct flights. Neither about Paris nor about Amsterdam."

Karius’ move to Schalke marks a return to his home country, where he initially rose to prominence during his time with Mainz 05 before joining Liverpool. The club will hope that Karius can contribute to their efforts to climb the league table and ultimately secure promotion back to the Bundesliga. They are in action next against Braunschweig on Saturday.