Liverpool rival Arsenal for in-form Brentford attacker

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Arsenal's interest in Brentford forward Kevin Schade has company, with Liverpool also keeping tabs on the German attacker.

According to Sky Sports, the Gunners are not the only leading Premier League side monitoring Schade's situation at the Gtech Community Stadium, with the Reds having joined the list of admirers.

Schade's rise at Brentford

Schade has spent the last few seasons steadily building his reputation in England, developing from a squad option into one of the more notable attacking performers in the division.

That trajectory has caught Arsenal's eye. The north London side believe the German could add something to their squad should they choose to move for him, though the report stresses the situation remains at the monitoring stage rather than anything more advanced.

Brentford themselves are in the middle of a strong campaign, sitting in contention for a European place, and Schade has been an important part of that run. Any club wanting to prise him away is unlikely to find the west London outfit in a mood to negotiate cheaply.

Liverpool enter the picture

Liverpool's involvement complicates matters. The Merseyside club have spent heavily in the transfer market across recent windows and have repeatedly shown they will follow through on targets they genuinely want.

For Schade, that means options. A player reportedly open to the idea of joining a bigger club now has two of the Premier League's biggest names watching his progress, and there is no suggestion Arsenal hold any advantage in the race at this stage.

It is worth keeping expectations measured here. Reported interest is not the same as a bid, and Sky Sports' report frames this as a situation being tracked rather than a deal taking shape. Arsenal have not made a formal approach, and there is no indication of a fee or timeline attached to the story.

What happens next

Schade's focus, for now, is on Brentford. The longer he maintains his current level, the more crowded the field of suitors is likely to become — and the higher any eventual asking price climbs.

Arsenal's recruitment team have shown a willingness in recent windows to move decisively when they have identified a target, but they have also been comfortable walking away when valuations have not matched their assessment. Whether Schade falls into the first category or the second is something that will become clearer as the season develops.

For the moment, the Gunners are watchers rather than bidders. If that changes, they will do so knowing Liverpool are watching the same player, and that the Reds have the financial muscle to force the issue.

Arsenal will continue to assess the situation as Brentford's season unfolds, with any decision on a formal approach likely to depend on how the campaign plays out for all parties.