**Newcastle United**have announced the completion of a deal for Malick Thiaw.
On 12 August, the Toon announced the defender had signed a four year contract with the club, moving from AC Milan. He left Italy for a guaranteed fee of £30 million with up to £4.6 million in add-ons.
Thiaw’s journey to Tyneside
Thiaw made his debut for **Schalke**as an 18-year-old and spent two seasons at the club before moving to AC Milan in the summer of 2022.
He nailed down a starting spot at the turn of the new year with a 'Man of the Match' display in a 1-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League.
The German played 85 times for the Rossoneri over the last three campaigns, striking up a partnership with **Fikayo Tomori**for most of that time. He also spent a year playing with Sandro Tonali, who has found a home in Tyneside and will serve as a familiar face to welcome him to the Premier League.
Thiaw has talked about how happy he is to be a part of the project unfolding at Newcastle United.
"I'm really excited to join this massive club. I can't wait to start training and to get to know my new teammates and all the staff.
“The gaffer showed me his vision and what he wants to do with me as a player and the club itself, which is really exciting.”
He has left one of the most iconic clubs across Europe for a sleeping giant that has been on the rise over the last three and a half years. The din of the Geordies' ground will be an experience to behold.
*"I think Newcastle speaks for itself. It's a great club, a big club with passionate fans who I can't wait to see at St. James' Park."*
What will Thiaw offer Newcastle United?
Eddie Howe has also talked about what he expects the 24-year-old to bring to the table next season.
"We're really pleased to have Malick on board. He's a player I've admired for a long time and somebody who will add real quality to our defensive options.”
One of the key aspects of his profile is the experience that he has built up from playing on the biggest platforms.
AC Milan went to the final four of the **Champions League**in 2023 before being knocked out by Inter Milan, and his only goal for the side was in a 3-1 triumph against Real Madrid last year.
*"Malick is still young but brings valuable experience of Champions League football, playing in the Bundesliga and the Serie A, which is a major positive for us as we return to Europe this season."*
Standing at 6'4", Thiaw will fit right in with the land of the giants that is the defence at Newcastle United. Howe worked his way through the lower tiers of English football, and he knows how aerial competitiveness counts for a lot. Height does not mean heading prowess, but it is a good platform.
Many have praised the 24-year-old for his speed across the ground. The Toon like to play in transition, either dropping into a low block or taking the risk to go man to man and press high. If the team want to engage higher up the field, he should be a good option to help sweep up in moments of recovery.
His distribution with diagonal and long-range passing also stands out. Last term, he was in the top ten for long passes that a defender had completed in the Italian top flight.
At the same time, he is not too impressive when he has the ball, averaging a lower passing accuracy than only two defenders in Serie A.
Reinforcing resilience in the squad
The first time that the Toon reached the Champions League, they bowed out in the group stage with a 2-1 loss to AC Milan on the final matchday of the first phase. But the balancing act between England and Europe was taking its toll with a slew of injuries in a camp keen to play a physically intense style.
The manager will not want lightning to strike twice, and he needs depth that he can rely on this year.
The German was not guaranteed playing time from the moment he moved to Italy. His adaptation to a time of crisis for **Stefano Pioli**should give Howe the belief he can survive in a sink-or-swim moment.
Fabian Schar, Dan Burn, and a fit Sven Botman are likely to stand in his way as a starter. However, in the short term, the arrival of Thiaw is also a fresh face at a time of great uncertainty for the club.
The PSR pinch was not meant to be an obstacle to business this summer. But the problems have come from within. The board has turned down a bid of £110 million from **Liverpool**for Alexander Isak, but the striker, scorer of 44 league goals in the last two years, is still at an impasse about his future.
On top of that, there are only two other major summer signings to shout about. **Aaron Ramsdale**is on loan from from Southampton, and Anthony Elanga made a £55 million move from Nottingham Forest.
Benjamin Sesko, Hugo Ekitiké, Joao Pedro, Bryan Mbeumo, and **Noni Madueke**turned interest from the Toon to move to other **Premier League**clubs this summer. James Trafford joined that list, as he went back to Manchester City, forcing the board to pivot to a year long option in Ramsdale.
With a trip to Aston Villa on Saturday afternoon to kick off their **Premier League**schedule, the team must rally around the options present in their ranks. They will welcome Thiaw into their troop.