In a recent report, The Chronicle has revealed that Newcastle United are planning to trigger an extension in Fabian Schar’s contract. It is believed that the Swiss defensive ace is generating interest from Germany and Italy, but the Magpies are eager to keep him beyond the end of this campaign (via The Chronicle).
Schar’s Impressive Season In The Premier League
The 29-year-old has enjoyed another solid season at St. James’ Park as he has produced many dominant performances at the centre of Steve Bruce’s defence. Schar has been involved in 17 matches for the Tyneside outfit this term in multiple competitions.
The Wil-born defender has caught the eye by averaging 0.8 tackles, 1.6 interceptions, 3.1 clearances and 0.7 clearances per 90 minutes in the Premier League. He has also been careful when distributing possession out from defence after completing 77.2% of his attempted passes in the English top tier (stats via whoscored).
Schar is currently playing at his prime and has still got a few good seasons left in him to play at top gear. He has developed a good understanding with Jamaal Lascelles, Ciaran Clark and Federico Fernandez at the Tyneside club over the past few years, which makes him such a valuable presence in Steve Bruce’s squad.
What Are The Swiss International’s Best Attributes?
Schar can use his strong 1.86m frame to outmuscle the opposition and has got a great leap in him that allows him to win his fair share of aerial duels during a game. He is a composed presence on the ball and is proficient at playing his way out from the back.
The experienced Swiss centre-half is a decent tackler and can make some important interceptions for his team. Schar is often quick to spot the danger and is not afraid to put his foot through the ball to clear his lines when required. He has been nothing but a useful squad player for Bruce since arriving from Deportivo de La Coruña back in 2018.
Extending Schar’s Contract Beyond Next Summer: Good Move For The Magpies?
At the moment, Bruce doesn’t need to make too many changes to his defence, so he would be wise to keep his current options at the club for at least another year. The problem for the Magpies this season has been on the attacking front as they have scored just 25 goals in 23 league matches so far. All in all, retaining Schar’s services for another year or two makes sense as Newcastle just do not have the finances to bring in a quality replacement for the Swiss veteran during the summer transfer period.
