"Ten Hag knows what he wants" - Schick

Leverkusen started 2024/25 by lifting the Supercup, but came up short in their defence of the Bundesliga and DFB Cup titles they'd won 12 months earlier during an unprecedented unbeaten domestic campaign.

Head coach Xabi Alonso's decision to leave for Real Madrid at the end of the season signalled a changing of the guard, with Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong (both Liverpool) and Jonathan Tah (Bayern) also heading for the exit door over the summer. Former Ajax and Manchester United boss Ten Hag has been chosen to lead the rebuild.

"He knows what he wants from the team and has won titles already. He knows what he is doing. He is demanding a lot from us and wants us to play with high intensity," Schick told German publication kicker of his first impressions of Leverkusen's new head coach.

"He also knows where he wants to play me, how he would like to see me play and which positions he can see me taking."

Watch: The Patrik Schick show

That could involve Schick - whose 21-goal tally in last season's Bundesliga was bettered only by Bayern counterpart Harry Kane (26) - playing alongside fellow striker Victor Boniface. For the Czechia international, it needn't be a case of one or the other.

"In my point of view, we should have played more together, especially last season. We have different qualities and that combination could work well together," the 29-year-old teased, before addressing the question of how best to compensate for the loss of playermaker-in-chief Wirtz.

"[Florian] was ready for the next step a year ago, in my view, and now he has gone," he explained. "I think it would be a mistake to try to replace him directly. You just can't swap someone in for that kind of player."

Schick - who says he is in discussions regarding a possible contract extension - is preparing for his sixth season at Leverkusen, making him one of the current squad's longest-serving players.

With so so many high-profile teammates moving on and eight players under the age of 24 coming in, the former Sparta Prague, Bohemians, Sampdoria, Roma and RB Leipzig forward believes the old guard "need to step up" in the months ahead.

As for Leverkusen's collective goals, Schick stressed the top four is the Rhineland club's minimum aim, whilst acknowleding "a lot will depend on how our squad looks at the end of the summer".

Leverkusen are currently enjoying a pre-season tour of Brazil. After their return to Germany, ten Hag's side face their first competitive test in the DFB Cup first round at Sonnenhof Großaspach on 15 August.

Die Werkself host host Hoffenheim in their Bundesliga opener a week later, and also have a second successive season of UEFA Champions League to look forward to.