Afellay set for Schalke exit

Schalke have moved to confirm reports that Dutch midfielder Ibrahim Afellay is set to return to Barcelona at the end of the season.

The 26-year-old joined Miners on loan from Barcelona last summer and after the bright start to his career in Germany, the midfielder was tipped to make his loan move permanent at the end of the season.

Afellay has since torn a muscle in his thigh, and Schalke officials have been pretty disappointed by the player’s behaviour during the lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Schalke general manager Horst Heldt has confirmed that the player will be returning to Camp Nou at the end of the season.

“I suppose so,” Heldt was quoted as saying in Sport Bild.

Ibrahim Afellay has spent most of his career at PSV Eindhoven, but then opted joined Barcelona in a cut-price deal in January 2011.

After failing to establish himself as a first team regular at Camp Nou, he was farmed out on loan to Schalke, where he scored 2 goals in 10 Bundesliga appearances for the club.