Schalke have admitted that coach Mirko Slomka has only a "slim" chance of staying at the club next season, with Hamburg tipped as his summer destination.

The Gelsinkirchen club have risen to second place in the Bundesliga after taking 13 points in five matches, but there are strong rumours that Slomka is set to take the reins at Hamburg after current coach Huub Stevens returns to the Netherlands, where he will tend to his sick wife while managing PSV.

An unnamed board member told WR radio station: "The probability of Slomka staying with us next season is slim."

He refused to elaborate, saying "now is the wrong time" because the club were at a crucial point of the season.

Slomka himself recognises the importance of a decisive few weeks ahead, with Schalke also facing Barcelona at the Camp Nou in the second leg of their Champions League quarter final tie, saying: "We are obviously delighted to be in second place, but we have six intensive weeks ahead of us.

"That starts on Wednesday with the return leg in Barcelona."

Reda Maher / SportingLife / Eurosport