Tottenham Hotspur scouts have been quite active since the curtains were called for the summer transfer window as the recruitment team starts putting a blueprint in place for 2026 reinforcements. And this time around the Lilywhites have been looking at Brentford winger Kevin Schade, according to reports from Sky Sports in Germany.
The German ace has been growing into a phenomenon to reckon with, and you sense that every time he is on the ball for Keith Andrews & Co.
Given that Thomas Frank would already know a lot about him during his shared time at Gtech Community Stadium, and then given the quality that he has, it’s no surprise to see the North Londoners fortifying interest in his signatures.
But then, given that many Tottenham supporters have not been looking at Schade quite intensely, the question arises whether the North Londoners should really invest in another wide attacker, especially given that Thomas Frank is quite stacked up front.
Does a Schade & Frank reunion make sense?
Thomas Frank knows Kevin Schade probably better than most of the other managers in the English top tier. Frank was the one who brought Schade to Brentford from SC Freiburg in 2023. And while Schade needed time to adjust, Frank called him a “top class“, knowing the capacity that he has.
The Bees have deployed Schade predominantly down that left channel, but he is someone who is also comfortable playing centrally in more of a second striker role. Back at Getch, Frank used to use Schade as a vertical runner in transition. Here the Dane head coach was trying to make the most out of his speed and dribbling abilities. And then Schade is also quite direct when he is on the ball in counter-attacking situations.
His basic profile does fit seamlessly into the side that Frank has at his disposal today. He gives you that vertical transition through the middle third. But then when you put him out wide, he brings that aggressive wide pressing to the table. And then he is someone who gives you a bit of tactical dynamic as well, given how he is comfortable switching between striker and inverted winger roles.
Let’s get a bit into tactical layers, how will Kevin Schade fit in at N17?
If we look at the current options that the Dane head coach has on the flanks, there are Mohammed Kudus, Brennan Johnson, Wilson Odobert, Mathys Tel, Xavi Simons and Dejan Kulusevski (once he returns back at Hotspur Way). However, let’s be honest, the balance of the two channels is still a work in progress.
While Kudus has done well on the right, the left flank has been more inconsistent. Odobert is still quite raw, and he has a lot to develop. Then the output from Brennan Johnson has always been a bit touch and go. Xavi Simons is stuck between playing on the inside and playing on the outside. And this is where Schade rumours get interesting.
Playing on that left channel, Schade gives you wide but direct width. He is consistently trying to run behind players’ backs and is an outlet for switching play. And in games where Tottenham have space in behind, Schade brings a lot to the table. Alternatively, he can also play alongside Mathys Tel, Solake or Richarlison in a 3-5-2 or even 4-2-2-2 in games against deep blocks.
Given that Tottenham have a packed schedule, you need someone like Schade who gives you that energy and versatility. So even if you rotate players, you do it without loss of intensity. Ultimately, he plays his best when driving into space and forcing defensive errors. So he can end up opening up space for inverted runners like Kudus and Simons.
Schade is a smart choice, but not a necessity
Kevin Schade would ideally be a seamless fit into the current structure that Frank has deployed at Hotspur Way. And then there is also the fact that both of them share a comfort that can aid his ability to get used to life in North London.
But while he will be a good fit in a developing side, Tottenham have a lot of options in wide areas, and this is where the decision-makers will have to determine their priorities given that the club also want to bring in a world-class striker and a centre-back. Given the immediate needs, isn’t signing players for the aforementioned two positions more of a priority?
And then Tottenham needs to see the Bees’ asking price for Schade. Moreover, they as well as the North Londoners would have to offload a wide forward such as Brennan Johnson. Andy, then it would make sense.
For now, Kevin Schade should be more of a name in the shortlist and nothing more…
