Patrik Schick, the Czech International was born in Prague, in the Czech Republic. He joined Sparta Prague as an 11-year old and made his senior appearance for Sparta in 2014 in a 3–1 loss to Teplice. He joined the team’s cross-town rival Bohemians 1905 on loan in 2015–16. He scored 8 goals for them during his stay there for the Bohemians.
His Journey Outside the Czech Region
The Prague born player joined Sampdoria in Serie A in 2016. He scored 11 goals in his first season for the Italian team. Juventus approached him in 2017, but having failed two separate medical tests, the Turin club backed out.
Seeing his good performance, Roma approached him with a loan fee of €5 million with the option to make it permanent, rising to €40 million, a club-record fee. The club director Monchi said after securing his signature as “ one of the brightest prospects in International football”. He scored 5 goals total in his 2 years stay at La Magica.
In the 2019/20 season, RB Leipzig approached him for a season loan with the option of buying him permanently. He again got back to his goal-scoring form, scoring 10 goals in 22 matches.
He helped his side finish 3rd in the Bundesliga, hence qualifying for the Champions League.
He joined the German side Bayer Leverkusen in 2020 for a reported sum of €26.5 million-plus bonuses. In his first season for the German side, he scored 9 goals. This season he has run riot with him scoring 24 goals. He scored 4 goals in the 7–1 hammering of Greuther Fürth. He continued his rich vein of form by scoring a brace in each game against Hoffenheim and Eintracht Frankfurt.
The Czech has scored 59 goals in his six years, with him having an xG of 52.45 per 90.
Euro 2021
The 6 ft 1 inch was part of the Czech Republic lineup. He scored a wonder goal against Scotland when he scored from almost 49.7 yards. His goal was nominated for the Goal of the Tournament. He was the joint top goalscorer with Portugal’s and Manchester United’s scorer Cristiano Ronaldo with 5 goals. But he was edged out by the Portuguese as he had more assists than him.
Style of Play
The Czech’s main position is as a striker. During his days for Sparta Prague, he used to play behind the striker. When he joined Sampordia, he was deployed as a striker and he is performing well, scoring goals after goals.
The ‘ Eternal Bridesmaid’ frontman is known for his height and his lanky frame. His ability to turn around the opponents with his little piece of skill is what makes him dangerous in the six-yard area. He is not speedy ‘Gonzalez’, but his bag of skill and ball technique makes him a potential threat for the defenders. He is also a threat from the counterattack.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Schick uses his long feet to score some beautiful volleys. If you watch him play, you will see that his positioning is spot on. He just knows to be there at the right place and at the right time to score goals. He has the strength to keep the defenders at bay. He shrugs off defenders and uses his sleek foot to turn past them at ease. His lean body helps him to get past players at ease by twisting and turning them and going for the goal. He has top-notch finishing as he can score from distance, lob it past the keeper or shoot from the volley.
Weaknesses
He is not big on defensive actions. You see him hardly tracking back to help his teammates. He is sometimes indecisive about whether to pass or shoot. His inability to take the decision has cost him, especially in the opponent’s final third. Schick needs to improve his passing accuracy, which stands at a mere 69%. However, he excels in long passes with 90%.
Schick has received 169 progressive passes and he has made only 21 progressive passes.
Goal Scoring Exploits
This season he has scored his season-best of 24 goals. It’s his coming of age where he showed his true potential and what a lethal striker he is. He has 99 percentile on shots on target. It clearly shows his shots are lethal as well as venomous.
He ranks decent in expected goals and non-penalty expected goals with 97 and 99 percentile respectively.
Touches
The 6ft 1 inch Czech International has made most of his touches in the middle third with 366 touches. He has made 139 touches in the opponent’s attacking penalty area. He has made a total of 30.5 touches per 90.
Looking at his ball touches, we can see that he has made a maximum of his touches in the middle third with him going very less in the opponent’s penalty box.
Comparisons
As per the transfer mill, the Czech International has already been linked with European clubs, most notably Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United. If he makes his move to the Premier League, he would be going face to face with the Norwegian superstar Erling Braut Haaland. The Borussia Dortmund man made his 60 million move to the newly crowned champions Manchester City. In his previous club, he scored 22 goals. It will be a battle of 2 ex-players from the Bundesliga.
Vs Haaland
Haaland(pink) ranks 99 percentile in terms of goal, while Schick(blue) ranks 97 percentile. Same with their xG. Haaland has created more assists than Schick. The Czech International ranks 99 percentile in total shots on target, while Haaland ranks 96 percentile. Haaland has more key passes than Schick.
Vs Cristiano Ronaldo
The Manchester United man scored 18 goals this season. He single-handedly carried United to 6th place finish, hence securing Europa League on the final day of the match. It will be a match between icon and legend. In Euro 2021, the then 36-year-old pipped the Czech man with more assists to win the golden shoe, so he would be looking to have some sort of redemption.
Vs Son Heuing-min
The South Korean had a stellar season. He bagged 23 goals in 35 matches, tying him up with Mohamed Salah. His partner in crime Harry Kane was the main man to provide his compatriot with assists for him to score goals. Another important factor is that he ranks 99 percentile in goals scored and not from the spot-kick. It will be stiff competition in the Premier League for the golden boot if Schick makes his move.
Vs Salah
The Egyptian has been the main man for Liverpool. His contribution to the FA Cup and Carabao cup saw them lifting both the titles. But they couldn’t win the treble as they fall short on the final day. Despite Salah scoring at the end, he couldn’t help his team win the 20th title as they were pipped by Manchester City courtesy of 2 goals from İlkay Gündoğan. However, they are in the Champions League and the Egyptians have been in a rich vein of form scoring 8 goals, and they face Real Madrid on 29th May in Paris. He and Son shared the golden boot as both finished with 23 goals apiece. Next season Schick will be competing with Salah, Sadio Mane and Luis Diaz who both are of Liverpool.
Vs Lukaku
Romelu Lukaku was the 100 million signings who was a flop. Last season in Inter he hit a rich vein of form scoring goals for fun and Inter won the Serie A. This season however he has been an utter flop. He had only 8 goals to his name plus he did not help his case by linking him back to Inter. Thomas Tuchel, Chelsea’s manager has shown belief in him and decided to keep him rather than sell him. Next season will tell how the 100 million transfer fares, and will he be capable to go head to head with the 6ft 1 inch Czech International.
Final Verdict
With this season finally done and dusted, teams can focus on the new season and on rebuilding their teams, and formations, buying new players and all the things which happen in a team. One team which has fallen behind is Manchester United. Last season, the Red Devils finished second and were in the Europa final, they finished 6th this season.
They couldn’t even beat Crystal Palace and had to rely on Brighton to beat West Ham to secure Europa League places. With new manager Erik Ten Hag in the stands in yesterday’s match, it must have been disappointing to watch the toothless attacking force. With Cavani and Martial expected to depart this season, he has turned on strikers to help the team. Patrik Schick is much admired by the board, even though the German club has refused to sell him this season, the Red Devils try their everything to get the 26-year-old prolific striker.
Arsenal, having lost Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the January transfer window are poised to lose Alexandre Lacazette too in the summer. The Gunners were hoping for a Champions League spot, but it was taken cruelly from them. So they needed a striker and Schick was their main man. But Schick turned them down. The transfer window begins on 10th June, there will be lots of incomings and outgoings. It remains to be seen where the Czech International turns up. Watch this space.
