'The future is looking good' for Bayer Leverkusen as Erik ten Hag's side tie Patrik Schick to new contract after striker admitted he wanted to leave under Xabi Alonso

The striker has signed a new deal that keeps him tied to the BayArena side until 2030. Bayer sporting director Simon Rolfes hailed him as "one of the most prolific central striker's in Europe" who will be key to the club's future under coach Erik ten Hag, with the German side having lost a host of star players including Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Granit Xhaka this summer.

The Czech forward had an exceptional 2024-25 season, scoring 27 goals across all competitions. In the Bundesliga, the 29-year-old was the leading scorer for Leverkusen, coming in second only to Bayern Munich's Harry Kane. The forward also had an amazing run in the DFB-Pokal competition, scoring four goals in the tournament. However, he was disappointed with former coach Xabi Alonso and planned to quit had the Spaniard stayed in charge. With new management in place, the attacker had no doubts about continuing his Leverkusen journey and was quick to put his pen to paper.

Schick, on his future after signing the contract extension, said: "I want to and will continue to contribute goals, that's my strength. In addition, I’m also looking to being a key part of the rebuild into a new team capable of winning trophies. The future is looking good. Bayer 04 are working very hard on building a top team for the future. I firmly believe we will continue to play a leading role in the Bundesliga and in Europe in the future."

Schick's extension comes at a crucial time considering the summer exodus at Leverkusen in the current window. His retention is a big step taken towards rebuilding the squad and retaining experienced players with a leader's mentality. Ten Hag's side will face Italian side Pisa in their upcoming fixture on August 5.