Why Leeds United should eye a cut-price swoop for Fabian Schar in January
Back in September, a report from Leeds Live had mentioned Newcastle United star Fabian Schar among the potential centre-back targets for Leeds United ahead of the summer deadline. However, the Whites opted to shift their focus elsewhere and eventually ended up signing the likes of Robin Koch and Diego Llorente to bolster their options at the back.
Schar would add more depth to the Whites’ backline
Despite roping in two international quality centre-backs in the form of Llorente and Koch as a part of their summer spending spree, Leeds still find themselves short of specialist cover at the heart of the defence.
With Llorente yet to make his debut due to a groin injury and captain Liam Cooper also picking up a few knocks early in the campaign, Marcelo Bielsa has often been forced to rely on makeshift options like Pascal Struijk and Luke Ayling in that department.
As a result, Leeds have often struggled for stability at the back in the top-flight, conceding as many as 17 goals in their 10 opening league fixtures so far.
While Llorente’s potential return ahead of the New Year will certainly alleviate the defensive crisis at Elland Road, the Whites ideally need another specialist centre-back to ensure the right kind of balance in their squad.
Considering that Leeds already spent a lot of money to reshape their backline in the summer, it would make sense for the club to scour the January market for some cut-price defensive signings.
Putting things into context, the potential availability of Fabian Schar for a knockdown price in January presents an excellent market opportunity for Leeds United to exploit.
The vastly-experienced Swiss international’s contract at Newcastle is due to expire at the end of the season. With the Magpies yet to initiate talks over a new deal, the door remains open for the Bielsa to lure him to Elland Road.
Verdict
Fabian Schar has had his fair share of highs and lows in the Premier League over the past couple of seasons. But his spell in English football has largely been a success. The Newcastle star, therefore, ticks the box as a defender of proven pedigree at this level. He would add a lot more depth and experience to Leeds United’s backline.
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Besides that, Schar boasts a good scoring record for a centre-back (he has bagged 33 goals in his club career so far), which should come as an added bonus to the Whites. The 28-year-old still has several years remaining in his prime, making him well worth a punt for Leeds in the winter market.
