According to Calciomercato, RB Leipzig will look to negotiate a lesser fee to sign on-loan striker Patrik Schick on a permanent basis from AS Roma this summer.
The Czech Republic international made the switch to the German club last summer after they agreed to pay a £3.15m loan fee with the option to buy for £26m or £25m, depending on whether they qualify for the Champions League or not.
Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann recently ruled out the club’s chances of signing the striker by suggesting that they may not afford the price tag even if they qualify for the elite competition next season.
However, Calciomercato suggests that is a tactic from the Bundesliga outfit to negotiate a lesser fee of £18m for the 24-year-old, who has netted nine goals from 18 league outings this season.
AS Roma, who are currently in a tight financial situation, are looking to recoup around £27m from the player’s sale this summer and they have reportedly offered the striker to Everton and Tottenham Hotspur.
It is unclear whether either of those clubs are interested in meeting the valuation amid the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic and it is suggested that Leipzig are best placed to sign the forward for a reduced price.
The former Sampdoria star suffered an ankle injury at the beginning of his loan stint and he only became a regular part of Nagelsmann’s plans from the final week of November.
Still, he has caught the eye with a number of glowing performances and they should be keen on keeping hold of him, particularly with Timo Werner heading through the exit door.
Werner has already given the green light for a summer move to Chelsea and the deal could be formally announced in the next few days with the west London giants prepared to meet the £50m release clause in his contract.
The move has definitely come as a surprise, considering the Germany international has been heavily tipped to join Premier League leaders Liverpool since the beginning of the year.
It was recently claimed that Werner may decide to remain with Leipzig for another season, suppose the Reds don’t make an approach for his services, but the project under manager Frank Lampard seems to have convinced him.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com