Arsenal enquiry for superb Brentford star revealed as MASSIVE price tag set
Arsenal made an enquiry about Kevin Schade this summer as the Brentford winger emerged as a major option for their left side, TEAMtalk understands.
Schade was firmly on Arsenal’s list as they assessed attacking options, with the Gunners having failed in attempts to land Morgan Rogers and Vinicius Junior before turning their attention to other possibilities.
Despite selling Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli, Arsenal ultimately brought in only one new signing in that area in the shape of Christos Tzolis, making Schade a player of major interest as they considered further reinforcement.
However, Brentford had no intention of allowing Schade to leave and made their position clear from the outset.
Indeed, TEAMtalk understands that even an offer that would have broken Brentford’s club-record sale would not have been listened to, with the Bees valuing Schade extremely highly and viewing him as central to their plans.
Their record sale remains the £70million transfer of Bryan Mbeumo to Manchester United, but Brentford were not prepared to consider a similar or greater figure for Schade.
Arsenal were aware of that stance and, despite their admiration for the 24-year-old, did not pursue the enquiry further during the window.
Schade has impressed hugely since joining Brentford from Freiburg in 2023. He initially arrived on loan before the Bees made the move permanent for a then club-record £22m.
His development has continued at pace and he is now regarded inside Brentford as one of the Premier League’s most exciting inverted winger talents.
TEAMtalk understands Bayern Munich are also major admirers of Schade, while sources believe he is set to feature prominently in Jurgen Klopp’s new-look Germany setup.
Brentford’s determination to keep Schade is also consistent with a wider strategy they have already demonstrated during 2026, with the club making clear they want to retain their leading players rather than allow them to be picked off by bigger clubs.
Brentford plan new contract for Arsenal target
Thiago and Michael Kayode have both been handed lengthy new contracts as part of that approach, underlining the Bees’ desire to secure the long-term futures of the players they consider fundamental to their plans.
The same thinking is now being applied to Schade.
The club have already opened conversations with his camp over a new long-term contract, with his existing agreement running until 2028.
Brentford do not want the winger entering next summer with his contract situation becoming a potential distraction and are keen to put themselves in an even stronger position by securing an extension.
A new deal is expected to include a significant wage increase for Schade, reflecting his status within the squad and his importance to Keith Andrews’ plans.
Brentford’s summer strategy has been built around keeping their star performers while simultaneously giving Andrews the quality required to compete at the top end of the Premier League.
That has been demonstrated by their recruitment, with the club breaking their transfer record to sign Mamadou Sangare and spending a similar sum to bring in El-Hadji Malick Diouf.
The decision to retain Schade fits firmly into that wider approach, with Brentford unwilling to sacrifice one of their key performers even when interest arrived from Arsenal.
For now, Brentford’s position remains unequivocal. They have no intention of selling Schade and are instead working towards securing him on a new long-term agreement, following the same blueprint they have already used with Thiago and Kayode.
With Bayern also monitoring his situation and Arsenal having made their interest known, Brentford are determined to ensure Schade remains part of the club’s plans rather than becoming their next major sale.
