The agent of Patrik Schick has talked up the idea of the striker joining AC Milan from Bayer Leverkusen this summer.
Milan are continuing their search for a new centre-forward to partner Santiago Gimenez and TMW recently reported that the management are evaluating the idea of moving for Schick. The Bayer Leverkusen man is a target for the sporting director Igli Tare specifically, they added.
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The 29-year-old has played in Serie A before for Roma and Sampdoria before moving to Germany, where he has amassed 168 appearances and 81 goals for Bayer Leverkusen. However, he is behind Victor Boniface when he is fully fit, another striker linked with the Rossoneri.
‘He’d love to go to Milan’
The former Czech Republic striker Pavel Kuka is now the agent of Schick, and he spoke exclusively to MilanNews regarding the future of the former Roma man, who is being linked to Milan.
What are the chances of a return to Italy, with Milan?
“Anything can happen in football. But be careful: Patrik still has a two-year contract with Leverkusen. We’ll see what happens in the future. Although anything is possible. Personally, I think it’s unlikely he’ll leave this summer because Leverkusen has already sold so many players.
“It would be a serious blow from a sporting perspective if, in addition to the players who have left [Wirtz, Xhaka, Tah, and Frimpong], the club also sold one of the strongest players still in the squad, like Schick.”
Vlahovic is Allegri’s first choice, but are Milan really keeping an eye on your client?
“Yes, even though there are always a lot of rumours in football. It’s true that there are a couple of clubs that want him. It’s just my opinion, but Patrik is one of the best players in the world right now.
“Just think about his average minutes played, and all that without taking penalties. If he had done that today, he might have more goals than Kane, Haaland, and Lewandowski. Patrick is a complete striker and… underrated.”
But can Milan afford him?
“I think so.”
Would he give up the Champions League to join a Milan side without European football?
“He’d love to go to Milan, no matter when. And for the Rossoneri, having a player like the current Patrik Schick would be a real coup. And for a player with his undoubted qualities, the price tag isn’t expensive.”
Almost all of the world’s best players play in the Premier League, with the exception of Real Madrid, Barcelona, PSG and Saudi Arabia. Why has Schick never been sought after by the English big clubs?
“Anything can happen… he had already been in talks with Manchester United in the past. But the sporting side is crucial, and at Bayer Leverkusen he fought for and won the Bundesliga, adding the German Cup.
“There he won the Double… coming within a whisker of the Treble. At the BayArena, he also plays in the Champions League… transfer fees and salary aren’t everything. That said, I wouldn’t rule out a move to AC Milan this summer.”
Vlahovic, Guerra (Casado I think is also up for sale; Barca need the dough), Leoni (use Jashari funds here instead), RB that can also operate as RM (Dodo/Vanderson)
we are currently 70M in the green, add 25M from Musah, 10 each from Benny, Adli and hopefully 15M from Chukwueze and we can finance all 4 without going in red
Guess you mean 70M in the green taking in account departures vs arrivals? Departures: Reijnders 55 M, Theo 25 M, Kalulu 14 M, Emerson 9 M, Pellegrino 3 M; arrivals: Ricci 23 M, Estupiñán 17 M. That gives a balance of 106 – 40 = 66 M, and i think Sportiello left like 1 M for his departure to Atalanta, so 67 M in the green. The problem is, the 60-80 M lost because of not qualifying to Champions.
But still, i think the club could do good business in the mercato, because let’s say that the 60-80 M lost for failing to finish top 4 last season should be assumed by the management, the problem then being that they could say “if we take the 60-80 M lost, then we won’t have nothing to spend in the mercato”. So that would leave Tare being able to bring in new players depending on the money going into the club by selling players, and so far like mentioned above, the sales of Reijnders, Theo, Kalulu, Emerson, Pellegrino and Sportiello represent like 107M in income, and the arrivals of Ricci and Estupiñán is a expenditure of 40 M, so the club could still have 67 M to look for reinforcements.
Let’s now play a little, i think the club should sell Tomori (has a salary net of 3.5M/ year that has not justified in the last seasons) for around 18-20 M; should sell Bennacer for 15 M (salary net of 3.8M/ year); sell Musah for 20 M (salary net of 2M/ year); definetely sell Loftus-Cheek for 12M (salary net of 4M/ year, second best player in the squad along Pulisic, Loftus has not justified at all his salary); Adli for 10 M (salary net of 0.8M/ year); Pobega is gone leaving this season 1 M and hopefully the obligation to buy materializes and another 7 M would go to Milan next summer (salary net of 1M/ year); Chukwueze for 12-15 M (salary net of 4M/ year, another one that does not justifies the salary) Okafor for 12-15 M (salary net of 1M/ year, i would not mind if he stays). So the club could potentially have still 67 M + 87 M (from selling Tomori, Bennacer, Musah, Loftus, Adli, Chukwueze; won’t count Pobega this time and won’t count potential money from Okafor).
67+87 = 154 M to go for: If Milan will play this season with 3 defenders at the back, then i don’t think a RB is needed and Jimenez and Saelemaekers will do as right wingbacks, and by selling Tomori the team would need 2 CB, or, if the team will play 4 at the back, then yes a new RB would be needed and only 1 CB if Tomori leaves; a new midfielder because if Bennacer, Adli, Musah and Loftus leave, then the team will have Fofana, Bondo, Modric, Ricci; and for the attack, Milan has Leao, Pulisic, Gimenez, and Saalemaekers could be deputy for either Pulisic or Leao, Okafor deputy for Leao, and yes another striker is needed, and if both Chuk and Okafor leave, then besides a striker also another player would be needed for deputy of Pulisic/ Leao
So in general, Milan, if the sales could be completed of the mentioned players, could have around 150 M to spend on 2 defenders (either a RB and a CB, or two CB); 1 or 2 attackers (a CF and a winger if both Okafor and Chuk leave) and at least 1 midfielder, perhaps 2, meaning an average of 25-30 M spent per player signed
If Milan goes for a RB, they should look for Dodó, or Molina from Atlético, or Foyth from Villarreal, or Ratiu from Rayo Vallecano, none of them should be more than 25M for transfer fee. CB: Seems Leoni really has a lot of potential, but going 40 M for him (that is supposedly what Parma asks) seems risky business; Guéhi from Crystal Palace who only has 1 more year left in his contract, maybe Palace could accept Tomori + 20M cash?; van Hecke from Brighton; Balerdi from Marseille; Christensen from Barcelona; Min jae Kim from Bayern; Tapsoba from Leverkusen; Kevin Lomónaco from Independiente. MF: Højbjerg from Marseille would definetely be an improvement over Loftus Cheek; if the almost 40 M Milan is offering for Jashari don’t come to fruition, maybe put a little more money and go for Rovella (rumours are that Lazio would be open to a 50 M fee); Guido Rodríguez from West Ham; Bissouma from Tottenham, or Betancur; amazing how come they didn’t try for Kokcu, Besiktas got him with loan + obligation to buy next season for 25 M, great deal for Besiktas; Taylor from Ajax; Guerra from Valencia; CF: Aubameyang and Jonathan David were options for free, incredible how management didn’t try for them; Mitrovic from Al-Hilal; Openda from Leipzig; Boniface from Leverkusen, or Schick; Mateta from Crystal Palace; Fullkrug from West Ham
As for wingers, back up wingers if both Chukwueze and Okafor leave. Saelemaekers could be back up for Pulisic, so Chukw can leave, and if Okafor also leaves, then options as back up for Leao could be: i would go for min Son, an experienced player, good player, someone from whom the rest of players can learn about discipline and dedication. Or i would have Saele as Leao back up and go for Berardi or Chiesa as Pulisic back up
If Milan plays a 4-3-3, should be:
Maignan (back up keepers)
A new RB (Jimenez), a new CB (Thiaw), Pavlovic (Gabbia), Estupiñán (Bartesaghi)
Fofana (Bondo), Modric (a new midfielder), Ricci (a new midfielder)
Pulisic (Saelemaekers), Gimenez (new CF), Leao (Okafor)
if Okafor leaves, then maybe go for min Son? or Saelemaekers could be deputy for Leao, and options for deputy of Pulisic could be Berardi or Chiesa
If Milan plays 3-4-3:
Maignan (back up keepers)
a new CB (Thiaw), a new CB (Gabbia), Pavlovic (Bartesaghi) Saelemaekers (Jimenez), Modric (a new MF), Ricci (Fofana/ Bondo), Estupiñán (Bartesaghi)
Pulisic (Saelemaekers), Gimenez (new CF), Leao (Okafor)
if Okafor leaves, then maybe go for min Son? or Saelemaekers could be deputy for Leao, and options for deputy of Pulisic could be Berardi or Chiesa
Stop monitoring how much we have, are you the sporting director of Milan. This players may come and don’t perform well.
Transfer is dynamic
Silly last question. Even within the Premier League there are only a handful of clubs that attract top players.
Its a sad day when Leverkusens second option is considered a ‘real coup’ for Milan. In fact, with Gimenez returning and Morata still on the cards (seems he will return in Jan), we dont need another forward on the same level.
Maybe Schick is the best option that we have right now.
Only if there is absolutely no transfer fee involved. Seen him a lot last year and atm he is not a better option than Gimenez
What do you mean? last season, 24-25 season, he did 27 goals and 1 assist in 45 games, and if we take in account minutes played, he had 2,505 minutes playes in those 45 matches, so actually if we were to take Goals+Assists per 90 minutes, he has a rate of 1 G/A per 90 minutes. And yes, by what you say of Gimenez numbers, Gimenez has had close to that of 1 G/A per 90 minutes in his first 2 seasons at Feyenoord, but Bundesliga is better league than Eredivisie.
Schick would be a good addition to the team, at least better than other names that have been around for the CF position.