Patrik Schick (Getty Images)
According to Daily Mail, Newcastle United are interested in signing Roma star Patrik Schick in a bid to bolster their attack ahead of the new season.
The report suggests that the Magpies are looking for more attacking players and have identified the Czech Republic international as their top target for £22m.
Born in the Czech Republic, Schick flourished through the ranks of Sparta Praha’s youth system. He was a part of the squad which won the Czech Republican league title in 2013/14 and after making 10 appearances for the club, he was sent on loan spells.
He played for Bohemians 1905 and Sampdoria, where he came to prominence with 11 goals in 32 Serie A games before joining AS Roma initially on loan.
After making the switch to Roma on a permanent basis in the summer of 2018, he failed to make an impact and was sent on loan to RB Leipzig. His time in Germany was successful as he finished with 10 goals in 22 league games and also played a key role in helping the German outfit reach the semifinals of the Champions League.
He has also been capped 22 times by the Czech Republic since making his debut in May 2016, scoring 9 goals in the process.
Steve Bruce’s men were inconsistent throughout the campaign and managed to finish 13th in the league standings despite staying in the top half of the table earlier in the season. And one of the major reasons for their inconsistency was the lack of goals from their strikers, scoring just 38 goals in 38 games.
Summer signing Joelinton managed to find the back of the net just two times in the league. Former Crystal Palace man Dwight Gayle came lively since the restart, scoring 4 goals in the last 8 games but that wasn’t enough. Yoshinori Muto and Andy Carroll failed to score a league goal in 2019/20.
This shows that the Magpies have been deprived of quality up front. Moreover, Gayle and Carroll have just one more year left on their contracts with the club. Thus, the manager should look to bring in reinforcements with the future in mind.
In that regard, Schick would be a fantastic addition to Bruce’s squad. Despite struggling in the last two seasons, he managed to put up a good show and helped his side achieve a top-four finish in the Bundesliga table. Though he was used as an understudy to Timo Werner, he managed to perform at his best in the limited opportunities he received.
He is just 24 and still has a lot of room for development. Schick’s inclusion could add depth to Newcastle’s attacking ranks. If he is able to replicate the same form he showed last season, he would definitely bring firepower to Newcastle’s attack.
With a lack of quality up front, it is clear that the Magpies are in dire need of strikers. And Schick, who enjoyed a brilliant loan spell last season, could lead their attack and provide them with some much-needed goals. Thus, they should manage to lure the former Sparta Praha man to St. James’ Park this summer.
