Newcastle United are set to announce the signing of Malick Thiaw from AC Milan, with the player on Tyneside for his medical.
At last, the Magpies have managed to get another permanent transfer over the line.
Anthony Elanga was the first, but there is hope that Malick Thiaw will not be the last addition at Newcastle United this summer.
In the meantime, Thiaw is in Newcastle for his medical ahead of a move worth around £35million. The German international is set to sign a four-year deal on Tyneside, and is the likely heir to Fabian Schar’s place in the starting XI.
Eddie Howe gave nothing away when asked about Thiaw in his post-match press conference on Saturday, but the fact of the matter is that Thiaw will soon become a Newcastle player. Should all go to plan, Howe wants Thiaw in Newcastle training on Tuesday ahead of the Premier League opener away at Aston Villa on Saturday.
With the deal all but finalised, an interview from 2020 has shown that Thiaw has a quality Howe will absolutely love.
- Who is Malick Thiaw? Meet the ‘very good’ defender Eddie Howe has brought to Newcastle United
Malick Thiaw played as a midfielder at youth level in Germany
Having joined so close to the season, it is unlikely that Thiaw will be part of Newcastle’s starting XI for the Villa game, but he could feature in the latter stages if things are going well for the Magpies.
Howe has a centre-back he has been so eager to sign, and will now look to sign a midfielder and striker before the summer window closes. Leicester’s Bilal El Khannouss is linked with Newcastle, but it remains to be seen if they activate his £22.5million release clause before its expiry on August 15.
Newcastle’s midfield is looking weak following the sale of Sean Longstaff and another injury to Joe Willock, so fringe players are being used in the middle of the park until a replacement is found. Thankfully, Thiaw played as a midfielder in his youth career with Schalke, before being moved into defence by his coach.
The revelation came to light during a 2020 interview on Schalke’s official website, where the 24-year-old was asked if he had always been a defender.
“No, I played in midfield until the U19s!” Thiaw said.
“Mr (Norbert) Elgert moved me back into defence as he thought I fitted that role better and it would help the team. I’m pleased with the switch of position.”
Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe loves players with versatility
With just under three weeks left in the transfer window, there is hope that more signings will come through the door after Thiaw.
A central midfielder is seen as the priority, but a striker would also be a welcome addition with Alexander Isak seemingly desperate to leave Newcastle.
Howe will certainly prefer to play Thiaw as a centre-back, but he will be pleased to know that he has played as a midfielder in the past. The Magpies already have a plan in place for when the first team squad is depleted, and that was evident in the pre-season games at St James’ Park last weekend.
Newcastle have a plan to use versatile players in different positions, with the likes of Lewis Hall able to play in midfield and Tino Livramento a confident right-winger. Additionally, fans got a glimpse of Matt Targett in central midfield. Although he is a natural left-back, the 29-year-old can also play in the middle of the park if needed.
Harrison Ashby also impressed Howe with his performance as a midfielder, despite being a natural right-back.
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