Juventus favourites for Liverpool, Chelsea and Spurs strike target

Patrik Schick: Wanted by North London rivals

Patrik Schick: A man in demand

Juventus have made the first move in the race to sign Sampdoria’s highly-rated striker Patrik Schick after Pavel Nedved confirmed their admiration for the young Czech.

Schick has won an army of admirers for his performances in Serie A this season, with the player’s €25million release clause doing little to put off Europe’s big hitters.

The likes of Tottenham and Chelsea have regularly sent scouts to check on his progress this term, while reports in Italy this week claimed Liverpool had also joined Inter Milan in the race to sign him.

But the 21-year-old, who has scored 11 times in 28 appearances in Serie A this season has now emerged as a top target for Juventus, with the club’s vice-president Nedved telling O2 TV, and as reported by calciomercato: “I can confirm that we are interested in him and we will certainly continue to be.

“It will depend on what his agent and he will decide to do.”

“Schick is the classic player who can be used in a number of different roles,” Nedved continued.

“He’s technical, fast and physical. He has everything to be an attacker. The future is his: he just needs to keep his head down, if he does he’ll have a great career. He has everything to become the best.”

Sampdoria are refusing to give up on their striker either, with the club’s president Massimo Ferrero keen to ramp his release clause up to €40m.

However, Calciomercato reckons Inter cannot be discounted from the race either; the club has a strong relationship with Sampdoria and it’s suggested they could secure Schick by offering €35m for the Czech youngster in the summer.