Newcastle's search for Fabian Schar's (long-term) replacement

It’s no secret that Fabian Schar has been a key squad member since Eddie Howe took charge in October 2021. The 32-year-old, 86 capped Swiss has played 161 games for United, scoring 14 goals, has a penchant for breaking out of defence and spraying balls across the park and has been responsible for some outstanding moments during Howe’s tenure – the fourth goal against PSG being a particular highlight.

Yet, with only 12 months remaining on his contract, and Fab approaching the twilight of his career, a younger player in a similar mould is being lined up to give the team more options at centre back, especially with Sven Botman and Jamal Lascelles likely to be out until 2025 via injury.

An exciting rumour saw Antonio Silva linked with a £40 million move via the Portuguese media just last week. The Portuguese international is rated as a £100 million defender by some in his native land and he has made 60 appearances for Benfica in his two seasons as a regular starter, winning the Portuguese Primera Liga and the Super Cup.

Silva is strong in the tackle and reads the game incredibly well, and Benfica racked up 2.33 points per game when he played last season. Hailing from the same academy as Manchester City’s Ruben Dias and having made two appearances at the Euros before Portugal’s elimination, Silva could be seen as the right-sided centre back to martial the Newcastle backline for the next ten years, although a deal for the 20-year-old would be very difficult to pull off without European football on offer, with a host of Champions League clubs said to be interested.

The persistent summer window rumour has been Milan’s Malick Thiaw, a 6’ 3”, 22-year-old German who cost the Rossoneri €8 million in August 2022, not long after Newcastle had signed Botman ahead of them.

Since then, Thiaw has made 41 appearances for the seven-times Champions League Winners, although mixed performances meant he couldn’t nail down a regular starting position until February 2023.

Playing alongside another Newcastle linked man, Fikayo Tomori, the central defender had a strong end to the 23-24 season, with one assist and a handful of clean sheets helping Milan to a second placed finish, behind city rivals Inter which saw his value jump to €30 million.

Powerful in the air and decent with his feet, Thiaw is a prospect with room to develop and add to his three caps for Germany. Far from the finished article a season as understudy to Schar would be perfect for his development and he could be a shrewd addition to the squad. And with Fabrizio Romano reporting that Milan have agreed personal terms with Red Bull Salzburg’s Strahinja Pavlović, another young centre back, perhaps it won’t be too long before we see Thiaw in Black and White?

Fikayo Tomori has also been linked with a switch to Tyneside but with his fee likely to be double that of Thiaw, not to mention the fact he's often played as a left-sided centre-back at Milan. With United wary of PSR and also needing to sign a right-sided forward, a striker and, possibly, another central midfielder, it could make sense to target Thiaw instead.

Max Kilman was another centre back linked, although the 27-year-old has since completed a £40 million move to West Ham United, linking up with his former Wolves manager Julien Lopetegui.

Personally, I’d like to see the club try to sign Ousmane Diomande from Sporting Lisbon. The 20-year-old Portuguese was linked by the Mirror in January and has appeared in rumour talk around April and this summer too. He would be seen as a real statement of intent signing.

Diomande was instrumental in Lisbon winning the Primera Liga in 23/34, scoring two goals, grabbing one assist and averaging 5.15 passes into the opposition half, highlighting his incredibly progressive play from centre back. He is also an Africa Cup of Nations winner with Ivory Coast. Although the same issues would persist with signing Antonio Silva, wages are generally considered to be lesser of a consideration when signing players from Portugal and a significant bump in them could see the eight-times-capped defender temped by the one of the most exciting projects in world football.

Newcastle have already secured the signature of exciting youngster Miodrag Pivas from FK Jedinstvo. The centre back is highly thought of in his home country and has attained high praise from Serbian legend Nemanja Matic – although he is very much seen as one for the future.

Yet, with Milan said to be keen to repair relations with Newcastle after the Sandro Tonali fiasco last summer, and with the Euros and Copa America completed expect to see expedited movement in United’s move for a right-sided centre back.