And while Nottingham Forest somehow question the Bees’ valuation of Yoane Wissa, the club’s record Premier League scorer because he’s 28, on paper, that’s the going rate for young, attacking wide players with proven Premier League experience. So, here at Beesotted, we’re asking one simple question: if those players are worth £50m+, then why not Kevin Schade? Not that we’re looking to add to the already confusing ‘exit door’ chat.
Let’s look at the numbers from the 2024/25 Premier League season. Schade featured in all 38 league games, scoring 11 goals and providing 4 assists. That’s 15 direct goal contributions, equating to roughly 0.4 G+A per 90 minutes. In terms of productivity, he’s right in line with, if not outperforming, the recent big-money movers.
Take Anthony Elanga, for instance. His 6 goals and 11 assists for Nottingham Forest gave him 17 contributions – about 0.45 per 90. A solid return, but only marginally ahead of Schade. Mohammed Kudus managed 5 goals and 3 assists across 32 league games for West Ham, which puts him on about 0.25 G+A per 90 – a fair bit lower than Schade.
And now, with Noni Madueke making a £52m move to Arsenal, we have an even more direct benchmark. Madueke recorded 7 Premier League goals and just 1 assist in 37 league appearances (32 starts, 5 as sub). That’s a 0.25 G+A per game rate – significantly lower than Schade’s. Madueke, of course, also added more contributions in cup and European competitions, but when it comes to Premier League output, Schade’s numbers are clearly stronger.
What makes this especially important is context. Schade is doing this in a Brentford team that doesn’t have the luxury of Chelsea’s depth, he’s delivering goals and assists under pressure in a system where efficiency and end product are vital to survival some would say. His goals weren’t just tap-ins in dead rubbers either – he scored critical match-winners, including a huge performance against Leicester that included a memorable hat-trick.
Schade’s development is great to see after a fairly frustrating start to his Bees career – after scoring just twice in his first 41 Premier League appearances, he exploded with 11 goals last campaign, and at just 23 years old, he has time on his side.
And it’s not just about goals. Schade’s pace, pressing, defensive tackles and growing positional awareness make him a potential all-round threat. Yes, there’s still work to be done, but he’s shown he can start wide, cut inside, or even play centrally when needed. His adaptability and growing work ethic have made him a key player in Thomas Frank’s system – traits that many £50m+ wingers can’t claim to offer consistently.
So as Brentford fans, why shouldn’t we ask if Schade is worth £50m… even if, at times, that was hard to predict. When you match his stats up against Kudus, Elanga, and Madueke, he belongs in the same bracket. Possibly even above some of them.
We’ve seen this script before. Brentford invests wisely, develops intelligently, and eventually sells smart. Ollie Watkins, David Raya, and Ivan Toney all moved on at just the right time, fetching strong returns that matched their contributions. Mbeumo may be next in that production line, but Schade maybe next up in 12 months time. Not because we want him gone, but because we’ve proven once again that we can develop elite-level talent once we’ve taken them under our wing.
In a market where potential and output are both commanding big fees, Kevin Schade has started ticking every box and I, for one, can’t wait to see if he can kick on from last season and seize the opportunity to shine if Mbeumo leaves.
And if others are going for £50m+, Brentford fans can confidently say: ours is worth at least that – if not more.
Dave Lane
