Marc Wilmots has confirmed to the press that he has been contacted by Schalke over their managerial vacancy following the resignation of Roberto di Matteo on Tuesday (26/5). Matteo resigned as the Schalke coach after a disagreement with the club, and Wilmots, who guided Belgium to the quarter-finals of the World Cup in 2014, has emerged as their preferred replacement.

The 46-year-old has been heavily linked with Schalke right after Matteo stepped down his responsibility as the club’s head coach.Bundesliga side have made
Wilmots their top target, and the Belgian told the reporters that he will make a call to Schalke in mid-June.Previously the boss played for Schalke between 1996 to 2000 and 2001 to 2003, then briefly took the coaching duty at the club in 2003. The former attacking midfielder made 38 goals in 178 appearances in all competitions for Schalke.

During his days as player, Wilmots was a member of the 1997 UEFA Cup winning team. After retiring from football, he made his first steps as a coach at the Veltins Arena, when working as an interim solution for eight league games at the end of the 2002-03 season.

Wilmots admitted that he has been contacted by Schalke, but he really doesn’t know what he will do for his coaching future career, and commented that he prefer the national team. “Schalke have contacted me but I now prefer the national team. I will in any case never resign but I do have the freedom to get out on the basis of a clause in my contract,” said Wilmots.

“I have a get-out clause in my contract with Belgium, but that does not mean that I will go. I want now to focus on the upcoming matches. The national team needs it. It’s possible that I’m gone, but I can just continue until 2018. We will after the game to see what happens,” said Wilmots, speaking ahead of Belgium’s key Euro 2016 Qualifier against Wales on June 12.

It seems that the coach will make a decision on his future after the Euro 2016 qualifier against Wales. Wilmots has coached his country’s national team since 2012, while his only permanent club coaching role was with Sint-Truiden in 2004-2005.

Signing with Bundesliga side would also give Wilmots another shot at coaching he club after he was made interim coach at the end of the 2002-2003 season, following Franck Neubarth’s unsuccessful stint.  Although he is under contract until 2018, Wilmots has a €1 million release clause to allow him to leave his homeland.