Barcelona have reportedly turned their attention to Fabian Schar and are considering the Newcastle defender as a potential January addition.
According to The Athletic, Fabian Schar has emerged as a potential January target for Barcelona. Ronald Koeman is under fire after a disastrous start to the 2020/21 campaign and is looking to plug holes at the back, with the Newcastle defender being considered a budget transfer option.
Schar is not the first Premier League star to be linked with a January move to Barcelona. The Catalan giants have been pursuing Eric Garcia aggressively and are hoping to announce him as a January signing. However, the likes of Joel Matip and Antonio Rudiger have been named as potential alternatives to Garcia, with Schar now joining the list.
The names that have been linked to Barcelona are mainly a result of the Spanish club’s financial problems, with the Catalan outfit in no situation to splurge heavily to recruit someone, especially with the team not doing well on the pitch either.
Fabian Schar though, seems like an option that has emerged from the left field. The Swiss international is already 29 and is struggling to be a regular for Newcastle United at the present moment. The only thing that Barcelona might have looked at is the Premier League star’s contract that is set to expire in the summer of 2021.
The 29-year-old hasn’t ever played for a top club, with his only trophies coming from his time at FC Basel. While one can argue that Garcia can be a long-term signing and the likes of Rudiger and Matip will add quality and experience to the backline, Schar hasn’t exactly proven his credentials to be named in the same breath as any of the other options Barcelona are considering.
Ronald Koeman promoted Oscar Mingueza from Barcelona B and the young Spaniard seems to have impressed a lot, aiding Barcelona’s cause in keeping clean sheets in 3 of the 7 matches he has featured in, having conceded 8 goals in the process.
The 21-year-old’s development would receive a major boost if he is played regularly in the first-team setup rather than bringing in the 29-year-old Newcastle star, who would be a massive gamble.
Schar might be available for cheap but Barcelona should ideally decide against bringing in another emergency signing that they will end up regretting and ultimately, offloading soon after.
