Premier League strugglers Crystal Palace reportedly hoped to sign Roma’s Serie A striker Patrick Schick in January.
Roma’s 4-1 win against Sampdoria on Sunday felt like the start of a redemption for Patrick Schick.
The £18 million striker, Roma’s all-time record signing, scored his first competitive goal since April in the Serie A clash – in only his third league start of the season.
But how will Schick’s performance, arguably his best since joining Roma from Sampdoria ironically enough, affect Crystal Palace?
Calciomercato reported last week that Palace were hoping to sign the Czech striker in January, with Roma potentially willing to let him leave on loan in order to rediscover his mojo. Palace’s lack of threat in attack was once again exposed in the 1-0 defeat against Tottenham on Saturday, meaning they still have not scored a home goal from open play all season.
But if Schick can prove that this performance is not just a one-off, the chances of Roma letting him leave will surely get slimmer by the week.
“He needs to find that spark but scoring will no doubt boost his confidence, so I’m really happy for him. He’s got great quality. It wasn’t just the supporters waiting for him to score, but everyone – including the coach,” said Roma manager Eusebio Di Francesco of the 22-year-old who was treated to a standing ovation when substituted with 15 minutes to go.
“He’s very capable in certain situations and when attacking the goal. He’s quick, energetic and has good technical ability – he can play in many different roles.”
That does not sound like a manager who is ready to give up on one of the most talented players at his disposal. So the fact that Schick is edging closer to finding his golden touch again might not bode well for Crystal Palace.
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