Before he looks at his club’s place in the table at the end of the weekend, many well-known goalscorers first look at the ranking of the contenders for the Golden Shoe: How often did the darned Ciro Immobile score again on Sunday? How many points am I ahead of Mo Salah? Uefa’s annual competition for Europe’s top goalscorer may be an inherently vain competition that grossly undermines the very essence of team sport, but what are you supposed to do when it’s an Oscar for best? Center forward is a profession that demands and promotes selfishness in equal measure.
In this respect, Patrik Schick has had a season that can be considered a breakthrough year. At the age of 26, Bayer Leverkusen’s forward has found his place in the world of top gunners. He is tied with Kylian Mbappé in fourth place on points, and the three players who rank above him have been part of the high society of shooters in Europe’s top leagues for many years: Robert Lewandowski, Ciro Immobile, Karim Benzema.
Rudi Völler saw Schick in the Italian league early on
A few years ago, experts believed that he could join this group. It was “always foreseeable that as a striker he would have an exceptionally large number of components,” as Simon Rolfes says. It just took a while for the components to fit together as well as they did last season with Bayer Leverkusen. Sports director Rolfes can immediately think of a few things that Schick has to offer: “He has a great shot with his left hand, is extremely strong in the air, tall, agile, fast – and can kick really well.” The national player has 24 goals in 26 appearances – a quota that is worthy of an Oscar.
If Robert Lewandowski actually leaves FC Bayern, a very prominent striker position in the Bundesliga will become vacant.
(Photo: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
The Czech attacker was already in sight at Bayer 04 before he introduced himself to the local crowd three years ago as a player on loan at RB Leipzig. While Bayer CEO Rudi Völler studied Schick, who plays for Sampdoria Genoa and AS Roma, from his living room (Völler is known to love the Italian Serie A), the club’s scouts traveled across Europe to examine the candidate more closely. Rolfes took a close look at him at an international match in 2018. When Schick returned to Rome from his Leipzig commitment in the summer of 2020 because, surprisingly, RB had not made use of the purchase option, Bayer went on the offensive.
When Rolfes, 40, is asked about Schick these days, the questions are always the same: How long can Bayer keep this player? What is it supposed to cost? Who will be the successor? The bazaar, which is open day and night, is part of the modern football world, and after two years of being dampened by the Corona crisis, trade is gradually starting to pick up again. Rolfes still makes a pretty relaxed impression.
It is already clear to him that the eyes of the competition have long been on Schick, especially since the sale of Erling Haaland to Manchester City and possible changes from Mbappé and maybe even Lewandowski are moving the market for five-star goalscorers again. Should Lewandowski allegedly not want to extend his contract with FC Bayern, which expires in summer 2023, like that picture reported, then Schick would also be a natural candidate for Munich.
But for the time being, the word that has already been spoken several times applies: Schick is “in principle not for sale”, says Rolfes, “no one needs to report it”. Of course, he still cannot issue a guarantee. The conditions in the clubs of the European upper class are again such that the top players are involved in sums that override all principles. For example, a three-digit million amount should be due for the signing of the contract by the Frenchman Mbappé, who is formally free of charge.
Leverkusen advertises with the masters Diaby and Wirtz
Schick, who tends to be an introvert, has so far not shown any signs of a desire to change, says Rolfes, instead he has always let it be known that he feels very comfortable at the club. An indication that should not be underestimated in his case, as the Bayer manager notes: “He is not a striker who works everywhere at the push of a button.” The conditions have to be right so that he can optimally develop his game; During the two years at AS Roma, the Czech attacker couldn’t find his place because he saw Edin Dzeko occupying it. The excursion to Leipzig was also an escape.
Should Patrik Schick still be tempted in the summer, Bayer can offer him other valuable arguments in addition to a regular place at a Champions League club. They carry names like Moussa Diaby and Florian Wirtz – template suppliers who make a center forward happy. Wirtz is in rehab after his cruciate ligament rupture, until he can return in the fall, his absence can be compensated for with newcomers. “We are working on creating a suitable environment for Patrik on the pitch,” promises Simon Rolfes.