Newcastle United are reportedly set to open discussions with defender Fabian Schar about a potential contract extension.
The 31-year-old's previous deal at St James' Park was signed last year and is set to expire at the end of the 2023-24 Premier League season.
Schar was instrumental in helping the Magpies finish in the top four in the Premier League last season and is expected to play an important role in their Champions League campaign with Sven Botman currently out injured.
According to Football Insider, Eddie Howe sees the 31-year-old centre-back as a crucial component of his future plans, and Newcastle are eager to prolong his tenure with the club despite searching for another central defender during the off-season.
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The report adds that the Magpies made a bid believed to be in the region of £30m for Joachim Andersen from Crystal Palace but saw their offer rejected just before the September 1 deadline as Crystal Palace were looking for closer to £60m for the Dane.
Schar joined Newcastle in 2018 for a fee of just £3m, and even with the new ownership and substantial team investment, Schar has not only retained his spot in the squad but has gone on to make 145 first-team appearances.
During his time at St James' Park, the defender has contributed to 16 goals and was a near-constant presence in Howe's defence last season, starting in 36 out of the 38 Premier League games.
The Swiss international picked up a knock against Brighton & Hove Albion earlier in the month but seems to have recovered as he started for his national side against Kosovo in the Euro 2024 qualifiers over the weekend.
Devesh Jaganath
