Schalke sends Coke on loan to Levante

Levante will sign former Sevilla defender Coke on loan from Schalke until the end of the season.

Schalke has announced Coke is to join Levante on loan after the winter break in order to get more first-team football.

Schalke has announced Coke is to join Levante on loan after the winter break in order to get more first-team football.

The defender joined the Bundesliga side from Sevilla in July 2016 but suffered a major cruciate ligament injury on his debut.

After recovering, Coke started seven league matches at the end of last season but he has been restricted to a single minute of league action this campaign.

"The loan deal - designed to give the Schalke man some game time at the side currently 15th in La Liga - will start on January 1 2018 and will last until June 30 2018," read a Schalke statement.

"The 30-year-old’s contract at Schalke does not expire until June 30 2019."

Schalke is second in the Bundesliga after 16 league games, nine points behind champion Bayern Munich.