Newcastle United are reportedly interested in signing 26-year-old Czech hitman Patrik Schick from Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen.
According to Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes, in an interview relayed by 90min, the Bundesliga outfit is cognizant of Newcastle United’s keen interest in star duo Patrik Schick and Moussa Diaby. But they did not receive any bids for either player from the English club this past summer and do not intend to listen to offers for their prized assets anytime soon.
Newcastle United have been heavily linked with both players in the past, most recently Diaby, who was the subject of heavy interest from the Magpies during the summer. However, they baulked at the Bundesliga club’s reported valuation of around £60 million, and they instead shattered their transfer record to land a versatile player Alexander Isak from Real Sociedad for £58 million.
Eddie Howe’s side still holds an interest in the Frenchman and might make a play for the tricky winger in the upcoming winter transfer window as they look to sustain their European push, with the Toon Army riding high at sixth in the Premier League table.
Diaby was not the only Leverkusen player Newcastle had set their sights upon this past summer; they were also plotting a big-money swoop for 26-year-old Czech striker Schick, who starred at UEFA Euro 2020 before taking the Bundesliga by storm with 24 league goals last season despite missing a chunk of league action due to injury.
It was no great secret that Newcastle wanted to sign a new striker during the summer transfer window. With Callum Wilson injury-prone and Chris Wood failing to hit the ground running and struggling to score goals, Newcastle simply had to find another goal-scorer from somewhere.
As a result, Newcastle were linked with a host of strikers in the summer, including Darwin Nunez, Victor Osimhen, Hugo Ekitke, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Armando Broja, and several others. Among them was the name, Schick.
Newcastle actually boast a long-term interest in Schick, which dates back to 2019 before the Czech Republic international left AS Roma to join RB Leipzig on loan. Those links resurfaced after their takeover in January — with £50 million as the reported asking price — but the new owners went for a cheaper and serviceable option in Wood.
The 26-year-old, on the other hand, effectively ended all speculation by signing a new contract at Bayer Leverkusen in May until 2027. Still, it could not stop him from being consistently linked to a move to St. James’ Park last summer every now and then.
However, as things stand, the striking department is certainly not an area of concern for Howe anymore, with Wilson fit and firing on all cylinders, while summer singing Isak has also shown flashes of his talent. So, it is hard to see them going back in the race to sign Schick in the coming transfer windows.
