27-4-10: Schalke have agreed a deal to sign Real Madrid defender Christoph Metzelder. The Germany international, whose time in Madrid has been plagued by injury, will arrive on a free transfer when his contract at El Santiago Bernabeu expires. The 29-year-old, who started his career at Schalke, has signed a three-year deal at the club. Metzelder joined Real from Borussia Dortmund in 2007, but form and fitness troubles have seen him struggle to hold down a regular place in the Real side. A statement on Schalke's official website read: "A World Cup and a European Championship runner-up will soon play for the Royal Blues. "Christoph Metzelder is joining Schalke from Real Madrid for the coming season and receives a three-year contract until 30 June 2013." Schalke coach Felix Magath has revealed he had tried to sign Metzelder before when he has in charge of Wolfsburg. "At that time I got to know him and came to value him and I am ecstatic that he has chosen us," Magath told Kicker.de. "He is not only a former Schalke youth player, but also a player with a real sense of responsibility, a leader."