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Last Updated: 09/10/19 12:09am
Wales winger Rabbi Matondo believes he can emulate Jadon Sancho and make a big impression in the Bundesliga like his former Manchester City team-mate.
Matondo followed England teenager Sancho, who has scored 16 goals in 55 appearances for Borussia Dortmund since he moved in 2017, in swapping the Premier League for Germany when he joined Schalke in an £11m move in January.
The 19-year-old scored his first Schalke goal in the 3-1 victory at RB Leipzig last month before he was recalled to Ryan Giggs’ Wales squad for the upcoming European Qualifiers against Slovakia and Croatia.
“It’s only one goal and it’s only my first start of the season,” said Matondo.
“But hopefully I can get many more minutes this season and contribute with goals and assists and help the team climb the table.
“If I can do as well as he (Sancho) has done so far then I will be really happy.
“He is a great player. I have always known that since being at Manchester City with him how good he can be and how good he will be. Hopefully he can help me as well.
“Jadon didn’t make me move to Germany, but of course he is doing so well there and when it came around I thought ‘why not’?
“It wasn’t that I couldn’t see a pathway (at City), I believe in myself. Obviously at Manchester City it is tough – all the players are top players.
“But it was more that I had the opportunity to go and play first-team football and at the time I didn’t have that at Manchester City.
“So I preferred to play first-team football so I took the opportunity.”
Matondo, six months younger than Sancho, only turned 19 last month and never made a first-team appearance at City.
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The winger, who was once labelled the quickest player at City after beating the likes of Kyle Walker, Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling in speed tests, has only made two starts for Schalke.
But he insists his career is heading in the right direction under the guidance of former Huddersfield head coach David Wagner.
“I have still got a lot to improve on and learn but I am happy with how things are going,” said Matondo, who now has three Wales caps after making his debut last November.
“Hopefully there will be many more minutes for Schalke this season and hopefully that will encourage me to play more for Wales.
“When I was younger I always believed in myself. I always thought: you will be playing at a good level when you are 17, 18, 19.
“That’s what I am doing at the moment. We shall see (about the future), but I will give it my all.”
