Schalke closely monitoring wantaway Benfica forward Jelani Dumas

The Royal Blues could face competition from clubs in France and Italy for the 21-year-old's signature.

Photo: Lars Baron/Getty Images.

According to transfer expert Sacha Tavolieri, FC Schalke 04 have identified Jelani Dumas as a suitable option to bolster their attack.

Head coach Miron Muslic is pushing the Gelsenkirchen club to recruit a goal-scoring threat for their return to the Bundesliga.

Furthermore, the Belgian youngster reportedly wants to leave his current employers Benfica Lisbon this summer.

That leaves Schalke, along with a handful of unnamed clubs from  both France and Italy, among the interested parties.

According to Tavolieri, the newly promoted German topflight side has already contacted the player's representatives.

Dumas joined Benfica's youth academy from KAA Gent in 2021 and has progressed through all of the club's youth teams since the U-17s. 

Last season, he made 31 appearances for Benfica's reserve team across all competitions, scoring eight goals and providing one assist.

The contract of the nominal center forward, who has also played on the wing on several occasions, runs until 2027.