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Explained: Why Jonjoe Kenny joined Schalke on loan

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Jonjoe Kenny had his pick of clubs to join on loan this summer, with Burnley, Crystal Palace and Schalke showing interest. The 22-year-old opted for Schalke, however, as he considers the Bundesliga to be the perfect place to develop his talent.

Reiss Nelson also sold Kenny on the idea, having spent last season on loan at Hoffenheim. The Everton man admitted in a recent interview with Spox that the success of Nelson & Jadon Sancho influenced his choice – Sancho contributed 26 goals in 34 league games at Borussia Dortmund while Nelson scored seven in 23 at Hoffenheim.

Kenny believes that the Bundesliga will be a “good step” for his development, saying: “When you see what Jadon Sancho has been doing in the Bundesliga since joining Dortmund, it’s astonishing “Even at his age, he has achieved great things and managed to become one of the biggest stars of English football.

“Reiss had a very good experience, too. He developed a lot and raved about the Bundesliga – especially the stadiums and fans. He felt really good at Hoffenheim and advised me to make the move to Germany. The Bundesliga can be a good step for young Englishmen. I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

The England u21 international was full of praise for new Schalke manager David Wagner too, saying the former Huddersfield Town boss “can make me a better player”. Kenny added: “I know (Wagner) from the Premier League and think he’s a great coach.

“You’ve seen what he has achieved with Huddersfield and I’m convinced he can make me a better player. I am very happy and can hardly wait for it to finally start.” Since rising through the youth ranks to the Everton first-team, the right-back has made 39 appearances in all competitions.

He’s embarked upon loan moves to Wigan Athletic (July 21, 2015 – September 20, 2015) and Oxford United (January 27, 2016 – May 9, 2016) and will be hoping his latest switch to Schalke was the right decision.

Read Crippy Cooke’s previous article

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