Newcastle United are currently in the fight to secure qualification for the Champions League for the second time in three seasons under Eddie Howe.
The Magpies are currently fifth in the Premier League table, which could provide a route to the competition if the division earns a fifth spot through the coefficient, and are one point behind Manchester City in fourth place.
A 3-1 win over Southampton away from home at St. Mary’s in the league on Saturday ensured that they remained in touching distance of the top four, with two goals from Alexander Isak and one strike from Sandro Tonali sealing all three points on the south coast.
Howe already has a group of players with the quality to challenge for a place in the Champions League for next season, as evidenced by their position in the table midway through the campaign, but there is always room to improve.
The Magpies have not yet dipped into the market to bolster their playing squad in the January transfer window, which officially slams shut on Monday of next week.
However, that does not mean that there is nothing going on behind the scenes at St. James’ Park, and they have been linked with an interest in a Premier League star who could replace long-standing servant Fabian Schar.
Fabian Schar's form for Newcastle this season
The Switzerland international has started 18 of his 19 appearances in the Premier League for the club so far this season, which shows that he has been the first-choice option for Howe when fit.
Schar, who joined from Deportivo in the summer of 2018, has been a solid, but unspectacular, performer at the heart of the defence for the Magpies in the 2024/25 campaign, with his passing up there as one of his biggest strengths.
The 33-year-old veteran currently ranks within the top 42% of centre-backs in the Premier League for progressive passes per 90 (3.54) this season, which shows that he excels at playing out from the back to progress play for his side.
Appearances
19
Clean sheets
6
Errors led to shot
2
Dribbled past
11x
Ground duel success rate
54%
Aerial duel success rate
42%
As you can see in the table above, however, Schar has not been a dominant force at the back in his physical battles and has been prone to an error that has created chances for the opposition.
These statistics suggest that Newcastle could land an upgrade on the Swiss veteran if they can bring in a player who is progressive on the ball whilst being dominant defensively.
How about this Premier League talent?
Newcastle keen on Premier League defender
According to iNews, Newcastle United have identified Bournemouth central defender Illia Zabarnyi as the long-term option on the right side of their defence.
The report claims that the Magpies are interested in the Ukraine international, who has been a regular starter for the Cherries in the Premier League this season.
It states that the club are hoping to tie down Schar to a contract extension and view Zabarnyi as a player who could come in to be his long-term replacement at centre-back.
iNews claims that the Magpies are considering a move to sign the 22-year-old colossus, but that a transfer is unlikely to transpire until the end of the season as the Cherries do not want to lose one of their star players midway through the season.
It reveals that Bournemouth may be more open to doing business in the summer and that means that Newcastle could have to wait four or five months before they are able to strike a deal for his services.
Transfer Focus
CaughtOffside reported earlier this term that Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are also interested in a deal to sign the Ukraine international, who they claimed is valued at around £50m by Andoni Iraola’s side.
This suggests that Howe will face plenty of competition to land Zabarnyi’s signature and that he could need to convince the titan to turn down interest from elsewhere in the Premier League in order to make the switch to St. James’ Park.
If the Magpies do manage to get a deal over the line for the Bournemouth star in the summer, he would come in to compete with Schar for a spot in the starting XI next season.
Why Newcastle should sign Illia Zabarnyi
The Magpies should, therefore, swoop to sign Zabarnyi from Bournemouth for the reported fee of £50m in the summer because he is way better than Schar and would improve Howe’s defence.
He, first and foremost, has the technical quality and forward-thinking mentality with the ball at his feet to replace Schar. The defensive mountain ranks within the top 40% of centre-backs in the Premier League for progressive passes per 90 (3.65), which shows that he is similar to the Newcastle star in that respect.
Zabarnyi, who is 11 years younger than Schar, has starred for the Cherries in the top-flight this season and his defensive qualities suggest that he would come in as an upgrade on the Swiss ace.
The 22-year-old monster, who was described as a “dominant” player by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has proven his ability to dominate opposition forwards in the Premier League.
Appearances
23
19
Tackles + interceptions per game
2.6
2.4
Clearances per game
5.0
3.4
Ground duel success rate
63%
54%
Aerial duel success rate
68%
42%
As you can see in the table above, Zabarnyi has been incredibly dominant against attackers both on the ground and in the air in physical battles, whilst Schar has struggled – particularly aerially.
These statistics suggest that the Ukraine international has the quality and strength to offer far more to the Magpies out of possession than the Switzerland international, as he can win a higher percentage of his duels whilst also making more interventions per game.
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When you combine that with their similar passing statistics, Newcastle could find a way better centre-back than Schar by signing the Cherries star ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
