The striker is set to swap the Stadio Olimpico for the Red Bull Arena and reports suggest Nikola Kalinic could replace him in Italy
Roma‘s Patrik Schick is closing in on a season-long loan move to RB Leipzig, with Goal able to confirm that the Bundesliga side have an option to purchase the forward at the end of the loan deal for a fee in the region of €28 million (£25m/$31m).
The Giallorossi are yet to sign a new striker in the summer window, instead focusing on defensive and midfield reinforcements in the form of Leonardo Spinazzola (Juventus), Pau Lopez (Real Betis), Bryan Cristante (Atalanta) and Amadou Diawara (Napoli).
Roma have, however, been linked with an interest in Atletico Madrid‘s Nikola Kalinic, now 31, with the Liga side seemingly deeming the Croatian striker surplus to requirements at the Wanda Metropolitano following the arrivals of Alvaro Morata and Joao Felix.
Leipzig mainstays Timo Werner and Youssuf Poulsen are likely to continue as first-choice strikers at the German club, with the former having recently signed a contract extension at Red Bull Arena amid reported interest from Bavarian giants Bayern Munich.
The acquisition of Ademola Lookman from Everton does give Julian Nagelsmann an added option in attack, but with Lookman being more of a winger, Schick is being looked at more as competition for Werner and Poulsen and a solid rotation player.
Nagelsmann’s outfit have started their domestic season with two league wins from two, first with a 4-0 drubbing of newly-promoted side Union Berlin, a match in which Marcel Sabitzer scored and registered three assists, with one of those setting up new signing Christopher Nkunku for a debut goal.
Next up for Leipzig is a trip to Borussia-Park, where they will face Borussia Monchengladbach in the third match of the 2019-20 Bundesliga season.
Roma, meanwhile, kicked off their Serie A campaign with a disappointing 3-3 draw at home to Genoa in which Schick failed to make an appearance off the bench.
The Italian capital side will hope to shake off that disappointment well ahead of facing fierce cross-city rivals Lazio, who recorded a fine 3-0 away win at Sampdoria in their opening match.
The Derby della Capitale takes place on Sunday, September 1, with Lazio billed as the home side for the clubs’ first meeting of the season at Stadio Olimpico.
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