To be fair, it's actually 18th, ahead of Denmark, Serbia, Israel, Croatia, Poland, and Norway. Given that all of those countries have produced terrific players — indeed, we currently have three very promising players from Norway in King, Hussain, and Eikrem — both in the past and present, it doesn't mean that a very good player isn't currently at a club in any of the countries that far down the table.
However, as you have said, if he has been at several clubs before this, his development may have stalled at some point. That obviously doesn't mean that he won't become a fantastic player, but you'd have to ask why Schalke allowed him to leave.
What is his new name, by the way?