Schalke beat Bayern Munich and AC Milan to Turkish defender
Schalke have announced the arrival of Ozan Kabak from German side Stuttgart on a 6-year deal running until the summer of 2024.
The Bundesliga outfit have paid €15m (£13.4m) for the highly rated Turkey international after triggering his release clause.
Stuttgart only signed Kabak from Galatasaray in January but have reluctantly sold the 19-year-old after being relegated from the Bundesliga last season.
Milan were locked in talks to sign Kabak but have remarkably been beaten to his signature by Schalke, while Bayern were also keen on the teenager.
Kabak, who was named Rookie of the Year in the Bundesliga last season, made more tackles and interceptions combined per game (7.5) than any other player in the group stage of the Champions League last term.
Furthermore, despite being a centre-back, only Steven Zuber (five) scored more league goals than Kabak (three) of Stuttgart players in the second half of last season.