Star Soccer Striker Kuranyi set for Schalke

VfB Stuttgart's German international striker Kevin Kuranyi has agreed to join rivals Schalke 04 in a 4.5 million euro deal, according to Kicker magazine. Kuranyi, 23, is contracted at Stuttgart until June 2008 but a release clause means the Brazilian-born ace can leave after the club missed out on Champions League football by finishing fifth. "I will confirm who I am playing for next season on June 12 or June 13," declared Kuranyi. Schalke are widely expected to seal his signature and will sell German Under-21 international forward Mike Hanke to fund the move. "I told Mike (Hanke) to tell me straight if he wanted a move and he did just that," explained team manager Andreas Muller. Hanke is poised for a 3 million euro move to VfL Wolfsburg after failing to win a place in the Schalke first team.