Barcelona and Real Madrid reportedly face stiff competition from Newcastle United in pursuit of Patrik Schick, a priority target for the Magpies.
According to a report by Catalan outlet El Nacional, Newcastle United are prioritising signing Patrik Schick in the ongoing transfer window. The Czech Republic international, also a target for Barcelona and Real Madrid, is valued at around €60 million by Bayer Leverkusen.
Patrik Schick has resurrected a stuttering career since joining Bayer Leverkusen from AS Roma in September 2020. After being hailed as a prodigious striker for years and struggling to deliver on most occasions, the 25-year-old has found his footing at the BayArena. And after a solid debut season with Die Werkself, he has become a prolific forward.
The Czech Republic international first made a splash at last summer’s UEFA Euro 2020, finishing the competition as the joint-highest scorer. And in the Bundesliga this term, Schick is going toe to toe with Robert Lewandowski and Erling Haaland to win the Torjägerkanone, scoring 17 goals in just 15 appearances.
Schick’s progress at Bayer Leverkusen this season has not gone unnoticed, with some of the biggest clubs in Europe, including Barcelona, Real Madrid and Newcastle United, setting their sights on him.
The interest from Barcelona stems from Sergio Aguero’s forced decision to hang up his boots due to a heart ailment. The Argentine legend’s retirement has left Xavi Hernandez with Luuk de Jong and Martin Braithwaite as the only natural strikers at his disposal, with neither player inspiring much confidence. As a result, Barcelona must sign a centre-forward this month, with Schick a viable target.
On the other hand, Real Madrid’s eagerness to sign Schick midway through the season is surprising as Karim Benzema is arguably the best striker in Europe this term. However, with the Frenchman approaching the final phase of his career, signing someone like the 25-year-old in the summer could make sense.
But Real Madrid and Barcelona might be fighting a losing cause in pursuit of Schick, as Newcastle United are prioritising his signing this month. The Magpies desperately need to sign a striker in the ongoing transfer window due to Callum Wilson’s absence with a calf injury. Schick has thus emerged as a key target for Newcastle.
Signing Schick will not be cheap, with Bayer Leverkusen slapping a €60 million price tag on him to ward off suitors. But spending such a sum is well within Newcastle’s means, and they will fancy their chances of snapping him up this month if they table a bid in the region of €60 million.