Leicester City attacker Shinji Okazaki has reportedly emerged as a January transfer target for Schalke 04.

Okazaki played a leading role in Leicester's title-winning campaign last season, but he has been in and out of the team during his second season in the Premier League.

The Japanese international has still made 21 appearances in the top flight and Champions League, but only 12 of those outings have come from featuring in the starting lineup.

According to Bild, that has led to Schalke 04 identifying the 30-year-old as a potential signing later this month as they look to improve on their current standing of 11th position in the Bundesliga table.

Okazaki is no stranger to the division after previously representing both Stuttgart and Mainz during four years in Germany.