At 39, veteran striker Edin Dzeko has signed with Schalke 04 in Germany's second division, aiming to boost their promotion push and keep his World Cup hopes alive. The former Manchester City and Inter Milan forward, Bosnia's all-time leading scorer with 72 goals, will wear the No. 10 shirt for the remaining 16 games.

Schalke leads the 2. Bundesliga by four points, but their attack has been a weakness, scoring fewer than the bottom three teams. Sporting director Youri Mulder believes Dzeko's experience as a target man and leader will be crucial. For Dzeko, regular playing time is essential to impress Bosnia's coach ahead of March's World Cup qualifiers against Wales and a potential playoff.

This move reunites Dzeko with German football, where he previously won the Bundesliga title with Wolfsburg in 2010. His immediate task is to help secure Schalke's return to the top flight, a club he's followed closely during their recent difficult years. His performance over the next few months could determine if he gets one last shot at a major international tournament.