Newcastle United complete the signing of AC Milan and Germany defender Malick Thiaw for a reported £34.6m.
Newcastle United have completed the signing of AC Milan defender Malick Thiaw.
The Germany centre-back joins Eddie Howe's side for a reported £34.6m, including add-ons.
He is Newcastle's third signing of what has been a difficult summer of recruitment, following winger Anthony Elanga's arrival from Nottingham Forest and goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale joining on loan from Southampton.
"I'm really excited to join this massive club. I can't wait to get to know my new team-mates," said the 24-year-old.
"The gaffer showed me what he wants to do with me as a player and the club itself, which is really exciting.
"It's a great club with passionate fans, who I can't wait to see at St James' Park."
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Bringing in a new centre-back was a priority for Newcastle this summer as manager Howe looks to increase competition and lower the average age of his experienced squad.
But getting deals over the line has been a tall order, with the Magpies missing out on several targets across all positions - including Benjamin Sesko, Hugo Ekitike, Joao Pedro and James Trafford.
There has also been intense speculation over the future of striker Alexander Isak, who is determined to leave the club and join Liverpool.
Howe said: "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.
"Malick is still young but brings valuable experience of Champions League football, as well as playing in the Bundesliga and Serie A, which is a major positive for us as we return to Europe this season."
Thiaw, who has three caps for Germany, joined AC Milan from Schalke in 2022.
He made 31 appearances in all competitions for the Serie A club last season, scoring his only goal of the campaign against Real Madrid in the Champions League in November.
Newcastle open their Premier League campaign at Aston Villa on Saturday.
'A modern defensive hybrid'
Thiaw's arrival on Tyneside should help alleviate some of the negativity surrounding Newcastle and their frustrating summer transfer window.
Thiaw had been high up on Howe's list of targets for some time and it is easy to see why. He is a modern defensive hybrid and possesses a rare combination of physical and technical attributes.
The 6ft 4in defender is strong in the air but has a top speed that will allow him to operate in Newcastle's preferred high line.
He is also tactically flexible and can be deployed as a right-sided or left-sided centre-back - and also operated in the middle of a back three in 2022-23.
Technically he is proficient and Thiaw can produce line-breaking passes and diagonal switches of play. In 2024-25 he ranked inside the top 10 for long passes completed by defenders, with an average of 3.5 per game in the Italian top flight.
Despite his adventurous passing, he seldom gives the ball away and in Serie A last season only two defenders had a better passing accuracy than his 93.6%.
Acquiring a youthful defender was a clear priority in this window with Dan Burn, Jamaal Lascelles and Fabian Schar all over 30 and Sven Botman struggling with injuries.
Thiaw has just turned 24 and while he's unlikely to replace the 33-year-old Schar immediately he is viewed as a long-term successor. He is the ideal age to develop under Howe's tutelage and has years to hone his already impressive game.
Category: General Sports
