Barcelona have set their sights on Bayer Leverkusen striker Patrik Schick who could be a cost-effective alternative for Erling Haaland and Dusan Vlahovic.
According to a report from Fichajes, Barcelona have shown an interest in securing the services of Bayer Leverkusen and Czech Republic forward Patrik Schick.
The 25-year-old came through the ranks at Sparta Prague in his homeland before moving to Italy in 2016, when he signed for Sampdoria. After an impressive debut season with the Serie A outfit, AS Roma signed him a year later, initially on loan, before the transfer was made permanent in 2018.
However, having failed to make the desired impact in the Italian capital, Schick was on the move again, joining RB Leipzig on loan for the 2019/20 campaign. The striker had a decent enough campaign with the Bundesliga club, prompting Bayer Leverkusen to sign him up in the summer transfer window of last year.
Since joining Die Werkself, the 25-year-old has excelled, particularly in the ongoing campaign, during which he has already plundered 16 goals from just 14 Bundesliga matches while also chipping in with three assists. Only Bayern Munich superstar Robert Lewandowski (19) has found the back of the net on more occasions in the German top-flight this season.
Schick’s exploits at BayArena have now led to strong interest from Barcelona. The Blaugrana are in the market for a new marquee striker next summer, with their sights firmly fixed on Borussia Dortmund hitman Erling Haaland. However, the Norwegian international is likely to cost a bomb, which the Catalans might be unable to afford due to their financial situation.
Dusan Vlahovic is also on the radars of the Blaugrana, but he too could be beyond the means of the La Liga heavyweights. At the same time, the Fiorentina striker is also being pursued by a host of top clubs across Europe, much like Haaland. As a result, Schick has now popped up on the agenda for Barça, as they look to bolster their frontline further, despite the imminent addition of Ferran Torres from Manchester City.
The report goes on to add that if Barcelona were to firm up their interest in Schick, the Czech Republic international could become available for a sum of around €45-50 million, which would be in the affordable range for the Catalan giants, provided they can move on some of the players who are not in the manager’s plans.
While Torres can play through the middle, adding an out-and-out striker could benefit Barcelona in the long run. And in case they are unable to get their hands on the likes of Vlahovic and Haaland, someone like Schick can prove to be a smart signing for Xavi & co.
