Report: Newcastle hope to make £8m profit on Benitez signing amid contract concerns

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Newcastle United value Fabian Schar at £11 million with the Swiss international set to become a free agent at the end of this season, according to the Chronicle.

As recently as March 2019, the former Basel starlet was in the middle of a transfer tug-of-war between London giants Arsenal and Tottenham after a fabulous debut season under Rafa Benitez (Mirror).

Not only was Schar rapidly establishing himself as one of the most reliable defenders in England, his penchant for a marauding, slaloming forward burst and the odd stunning finish allegedly caught the eye of the biggest clubs on the continent.

Flash forward 18 months, however, and Schar has gone from the toast of Tyneside to a man with an uncertain future and a declining market value.

The Chronicle suggests that £11 million would be enough to take the 28-year-old away from St James’ Park, with his contract due to expire in the summer of 2021.

That would at least see Newcastle make an £8 million profit on a man they bought on the cheap following Deportivo La Coruna’s 2018 relegation.

There is no hint of any interest from the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham or AC Milan these days, thanks perhaps to a worrying injury record, a series of less-than-stellar performances and the fact he is no longer a guaranteed starter under Steve Bruce.

Newcastle have also been linked with Arsenal’s Rob Holding, Monaco’s Guillermo Maripan and Sampdoria’s Omar Colley recently, suggesting that the club is actively looking for Schar’s successor.

The report adds that the 52-capped international was offered as a makeweight in potential swap deals involving unnamed French and German clubs.