Chelsea: Five potential transfer targets from the Euro 2020 group stage

2. Patrik Schick, Czech Republic, Bayer Leverkusen

Schick made a grand entrance to Euro 2020 by scoring what has arguably been the goal of the tournament so far against Scotland in the Czech’s first group stage match. He scored once more against the Scots and again in the following game versus Croatia, solidifying himself as a serious threat in the opponent’s penalty area and one of the top target men in the tournament. If Chelsea is in need of a cut-price striker to lead the line, then Schick is an intriguing option.

At 6’3″, Schick would be seen as a like-for-like replacement for Olivier Giroud, who looks to be leaving Stamford Bridge for the San Siro imminently despite triggering a contract extension until 2022 in April. In terms of production, the two players were remarkably similar in 2020-21 as well. Giroud tallied 11 goals in 31 total appearances for the Blues this past season, while Schick scored 13 in 36 as a member of Bayer Leverkusen. His audacious effort from the halfway line against Scotland also points to another parallel with Giroud; a penchant for dramatic goals.

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Signing Schick would definitely be a gamble for Chelsea, as he has never been fully convincing as a team’s primary goal scorer. His stint with Roma was particularly disastrous, scoring a mere eight goals in 58 appearances, although this low return was mostly due to mismanagement and a lack of service from his teammates. Tuchel would surely be able to get the best out of Schick, but the Blues’ recent inability to sign a consistent No. 9 makes me nervous that this move could be destined to fail.

One factor that should excite Chelsea fans about the prospect of bringing the Czech international to west London is his relationship with Timo Werner. He and Schick formed a formidable strike partnership at RB Leipzig during the 2019-20 season when the two combined to score 38 Bundesliga goals. Werner’s incredible knack for finding space behind the opposition’s back line paired well with Schick’s physical play and passing ability, which was crucial in Leipzig’s march to the UCL semi-finals. There is no guarantee that a reunion would revitalize Werner’s finishing, but his connection with the big man clearly benefited his goal tally.

It is, however, unlikely that Schick leaves Leverkusen after only one campaign with the club. The Bundesliga’s sixth place finishers scored fewer goals than any other German side that qualified for European competition, and losing Schick would only exacerbate the issue. Chelsea fans would probably be disappointed with the signing as well, especially since the club has been linked with world-class strikers such as Erling Haaland in recent weeks.