Newcastle United defender Fabian Schar has admitted he feels a strong connection to the club and could even end up retiring there.
Neue Zürcher Zeitung have an interview with the 33-year-old Switzerland defender today in which he talks all things Newcastle and his ever-growing love for the club and city.
Schar has been with the Magpies since a €4m move in 2018 and been a regular since, with 230 appearances in all competitions to date in Newcastle colours. That’s more than double he the next closest club on his list, FC Basel, where he made 114 appearances in total.
The centre-back recently signed a new deal to extend his stay at St James Park until 2026, by which point he will have turned 34.
He remains a key player under Eddie Howe and a firm fan favourite too, with Newcastle fans regularly singing a dedicated song to him, in which they claim everyone needs their own Fabian Schar.
That song is just one part of a strong relationship between him and the club, which has only been enhanced by their League Cup win this season. That was a special moment for all, and something which only helped Schar feel the love even more.
“The cup win was incredible; I’ll never forget it,” he said.
“Everyone knew that the end of Newcastle’s title drought would be celebrated exuberantly. But when it actually happened and I saw it for myself, it was a completely different experience. I let the moment sink in and realised that this isn’t an everyday occurrence.
“Experiencing this joy is very meaningful to me. I’ve been in Newcastle since 2018 and feel an enormous connection to the city and the club. I wanted to give something back to everyone. That’s why the relief after the final whistle in the game against Liverpool was so immense.”
For now, he has a year left on his current deal, but Schar is hoping for another extension in future and a glorious send off at a club he clearly cares for deeply.
“Yes, that would be great,” he said about retiring at St James Park. “Everything’s just right here, on and off the pitch. When I extended my contract, I could hardly imagine taking on a new challenge at another club. I’m a player who appreciates what I have.
“However, I’d like to play football for another two or three years and therefore am not thinking about retiring yet. I didn’t have to quit playing for the national team either, but it was the right time. Now I have to find that in club football too.”
