Newcastle United have confirmed the signing of German international defender Malick Thiaw from AC Milan, but it could mean bad news for one player.
With a return to the Champions League on the horizon, Eddie Howe knew he needed to add more quality to his backline in what is set to be a frenzied season.
Paul Mitchell was keen to add more youth to Newcastle United’s defence while he was on Tyneside, but failed to make a single major signing during his 12-month stint with the club. However, Howe’s recruitment team, led by Steve Nickson, picked up where Mitchell left off and brought Malick Thiaw to Newcastle.
Thiaw has signed a four-year deal with Newcastle, with Howe making it clear what plans he has for him during talks.
With Thiaw officially a Newcastle player and in line to make his debut in the Premier League opener against Aston Villa, the deal could spell bad news for a player who has not featured competitively in over a year.
- Who is Malick Thiaw? Meet the ‘very good’ defender Eddie Howe has brought to Newcastle United
Malick Thiaw’s arrival means Jamaal Lascelles could leave Newcastle United soon
Jamaal Lascelles is Newcastle’s longest-serving player, having joined the Magpies in 2014. However, the defender has not played competitively for the Magpies since March 2024, having suffered an ACL injury towards the end of the 2023/24 season.
After a prolonged recovery, Lascelles is back and has featured on multiple occasions during pre-season, most recently as a starter during Newcastle’s 2-0 loss to Atletico Madrid. However, Thiaw’s arrival on Tyneside spells bad news for Lascelles, who falls even further down the pecking order on Tyneside.
Now 31, with just a year left on his contract, fans could be seeing Lascelles taking part in his final season with Newcastle, but it is unlikely they will see him play very often. The older Fabian Schar was sensational in Lascelles’ absence last term, so it is hard to see him lose his place in the pecking order.
Lascelles is still part of Newcastle’s leadership group, having been handed the responsibility at a very young age by Rafa Benitez. While succeeded by the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Kieran Trippier, Lascelles was still able to lift the Carabao Cup at Wembley alongside his fellow captains.
- READ MORE – Who is Jamaal Lascelles? What you need to know about Newcastle United’s longest-serving player
What Eddie Howe has said about Jamaal Lascelles at Newcastle United
Many will class Lascelles as a Newcastle legend thanks to his commitment to the cause and longevity on Tyneside. His teammates also clearly think highly of him.
Lewis Hall mentioned Lascelles when talking about who helped him through injury, while the defender also had support from the likes of Joe Willock and Matt Targett when he played his first game in over a year for Newcastle’s Under-21s.
Howe thinks Lascelles is a ‘huge leader‘ and took the time to praise the defender for all he has achieved on Tyneside.
“No recovery from the same injury is the same, it’s all individual and about how your knee reacts to different situations,” Howe said in May following Lascelles’ return to football.
“Jamaal’s took a little bit longer. He had a couple of moments where he had to take time through different phases.
“Through the whole process he’s been very level. It would have been easy to fall into a difficult place mentally, but he’s shown dedication.
“He’s a brilliant professional. We’ve missed his voice on the training pitch, the demands he puts on himself and other people – he’s a real culture setter for us. We’re delighted to have him back.”
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