Former Netherlands striker Huntelaar, 37, returned to Schalke in January from Ajax on a contract until the end of the season but was unable to help prevent the drop for the Bundesliga bottom side.

“An important criteria for is what the squad for the second division will look like. It should be one that Schalke can feature in the upper regions because this season was very, very bad,” Huntelaar told Friday’s Ruhr Nachrichten paper.

Schalke said Thursday they are not renewing the contracts of 10 players as they are building a new team for the second tier after the season which ends on Saturday.

Huntelaar also said he has not yet decided whether he will play on at all or end his career, saying “I am not putting pressure on myself and will take my time” to reach a decision.