What Malick Thiaw’s injury record is actually like after he’s linked with Newcastle United move

Add as preferred source on Google

AC Milan centre-back Malick Thiaw appears to have become one of the main targets for Newcastle this summer, with Eddie Howe looking to tighten his defence.

The fact that Newcastle have the third oldest squad in the Premier League indicates a need for regeneration through the team and the injury crisis at the club last season has also shown an urgency for strength in depth.

Thiaw plays on the right side of defence and thus could be the long term replacement for 32 year old Fabian Schar.

Looking at his data, play style and injury record of Thiaw we can draw conclusions if he is a fit for the club.

READ MORE: Newcastle United are now £10m away from landing their ‘dream’ signing this summer

How has Malick Thiaw been performing at AC Milan?

Thiaw has played the last two seasons in the Serie A with an AC Milan side that has deployed a style which will allow the centre back to adapt to the demands of Newcastle.

Under manager Stefano Pioli, Milan have performed really well. Last season the side finished second in Serie A and Thiaw played the equivalent of 24 full 90’s across all competitions.

The team have deployed a back four or a back three, and Thiaw has been essential to the success of the back three system with his physicality and attributes helping the tactics work well.

The performances that the 22-year-old has been putting in while playing in Italy certainly seem to have caught the eye of Newcastle, who are just £10 million away from agreeing a fee with Milan, according to The Times.

There are similarities between the way Milan and Newcastle play. Both teams are mid table for pressing and are direct in their passing style without an overreliance on slow and intricate football that is more of the hallmark of Arsenal or Manchester City.

This means that there are many indicators that although Thiaw has played in a different league he can adapt to the Newcastle style of play.

Thiaw’s individual data and profile

Thiaw, even though a young centre back, is an imposing figure standing at 6ft 4. In his inaugural season in the Serie A this translated in an incredible 3.44 aerials won per 90, which was in the top 5% of Europe’s top five leagues.

This physicality is also coupled with confidence as he likes to get close in one on one battles. He hassles attackers not allowing them breathing space and wins the ball through close man to man scenarios in which he can dictate the outcome more easily.

As the heir to Fabian Schar it is important to compare the data of the two players.

In almost every one of the major categories of defensive data the potential new player to the squad has much better data than Schar.

This is a major boost for confidence in the signing as the player is able to play the right style in an improved way to those already at the club.

Thiaw also allows for the possibility of a more pressing style if Eddie Howe wishes to implement this with his fantastic mid third tackling data, and also his incredibly impressive number of tackles.

The German completes more of his challenges than Fabian Schar, which could mean that a more risky style can be deployed. Thiaw could even be a good partner to a more reserved defender who can stay back whilst the new signing is on the front foot.

Thiaw’s injury history

There are always initial worries when a player joins the Premier League as other top leagues around Europe are not as physical.

This may also be seen in a slight downturn in players output. The Serie A is still an elite league, but the Premier League is top for most performance metrics and thus it will take time for the centre back to adapt.

But there is also issues around the amount of matches he has played. Thiaw has had limited top level gametime in his last two seasons. During his time in Milan he has played less than half of the schedule in a league and schedule that is much less demanding.

Part of the issue last season was a hamstring injury that kept him out for 78 days and caused him to miss 15 games. This again is a slight worry, but as it is his first major injury of his career it is not of concern at the moment.

Gametime will be the major test for the player. Newcastle do not have Europe to stretch the squad and so focusing just on domestic football may allow him to build up some stamina for the inevitably larger fixture schedules in the years ahead.

As a result, the young defender is an excellent signing for Newcastle. His age and impressive data shows that he has a high ceiling for the years ahead.

Limited gametime is a worry, but when he has played he has been highly impressive and has the profile to be able to fit into the the Magpies’ style.

He adds much needed depth to the team and will also be an excellent replacement for Schar in the future.