According to the Daily Mirror, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are set to battle it out for Newcastle United centre-back Fabian Schar in the summer.
The 27-year-old Swiss international has been one of the key driving forces behind the Magpies recent upturn of form in the Premier League and he has put himself back on the radar of the north London clubs, with both Spurs and Arsenal having scouted the towering defender back in his earlier days at Basel. (h/t Mirror)
Schar has established himself as a rock at the back for Rafael Benitez’s side since his £3 million move from La Liga side Deportivo La Coruna last summer. The hugely experienced Swiss international has made 21 appearances for the Magpies across all competitions, scoring on three occasions. As a matter of surprise, his wonder goal in the 2-0 victory over Burnley won the award for the Goal of the Month for the month of February.
To put things into perspective, Schar would be an ideal signing for both the aforementioned clubs but Arsenal can bag a massive coup if they manage to beat their bitter rivals to sign the Newcastle man. While Spurs are currently not in desperate need of bolstering their defensive options, the Gunners have had numerous issues with their porous and vulnerable backline. As a matter of fact, Unai Emery’s side have one of the poorest defensive records among the top seven clubs in the division and they need to add more quality and depth to their defensive options to challenge for silverware next term.
Laurent Koscielny, Sokratis and Konstantinos Mavropanos have all spent time on the sidelines to nurse injuries this season, while Rob Holding has been ruled out for the remainder of the campaign with a cruciate ligament damage. Shkodran Mustafi has struggled to cope with Emery’s philosophy of playing out from the back and Arsenal should also start looking for a long-term replacement for Koscielny, with the Frenchman reaching the twilight of his career at 33.
Schar, with his experience of playing for Hoffenheim and Deportivo in the Bundesliga and the La Liga, has adapted brilliantly to English football and a move to the Emirates in the summer would certainly help him take his career to the next level. The Swiss international has impressed with his game-reading and tackling skills this season, whilst also showing that he has the physicality and the aerial ability to deal with quality strikers. An accurate long passer and adept at playing the ball out from the back, he is a defender who possesses real quality on the ball and his ability to chip in with crucial goals can prove to be a real bonus for Arsenal.
Schar averages 3.1 aerial duels, 5.5 accurate long balls, 2.4 tackles, 2.6 interceptions and 5.9 clearances per game in the Premier League this season. The 27-year-old has also bagged four man-of-the-match awards in the league for his impressive displays.
Still only 27, Schar has plenty of years remaining on his prime and Arsenal should not hesitate to splash the cash to bring him to north London next summer in a bid to solve their defensive crisis.