Fabrizio Romano: Newcastle United set to make approach for £26m-rated defender
Signing a central defender remains a top priority for Newcastle United before the summer transfer window closes.
Newcastle United are reportedly set to approach AC Milan over a deal for defender Malick Thiaw.
Thiaw looked set to leave last month when Milan accepted a £21million bid from Serie A rivals Como 1907, however the player did not agree to the move and it was therefore called off.
Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri has since decided he would like to keep the 23-year-old, but the Magpies are readying an approach, according to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano.
Fabrizio Romano: Newcastle United set to approach AC Milan for Malick Thiaw
Romano wrote on X: “Understand Newcastle are set to approach AC Milan for Malick Thiaw. Talks will follow as Thiaw is already an important player for Max Allegri after Como deal off in July. #NUFC will try to open discussions over price soon.”
The 23-year-old has been admired by Newcastle for a while after first showing an interest last summer.
Speaking about Thiaw last summer, Newcastle boss Eddie Howe told NewcastleWorld: “I’m always reluctant to comment but he is a player that I know about of course from our games in the Champions League against Milan and yeah, he is a very good player.”
How much could Malick Thiaw cost Newcastle United?
Italian journalist Matteo Moretto has also reported on Newcastle’s interest, with Milan set to demand over £26m for the German.
“Malick Thiaw continues to be a target for Newcastle. Milan and Como had reached an agreement for 25 million euros in recent weeks, but the German did not accept the transfer because his priority was and is to stay at Milan,” Moretto said on YouTube.
“If he really has to leave, the player has always said he wants to go to a club that plays in the Champions League. Newcastle are looking for a central defender: the first objective was Scalvini, but the block of Atalanta has led the English to put the deal on hold.
“Newcastle are looking around and an old favourite already discussed in the past is Thiaw. The English club has returned to inquire about the German. To date, there is still no offer, but Newcastle are trying to understand the conditions of the German’s exit.
“They tell me two things today: the first is that Allegri would like to keep him. Then the market is the market and Milan would be ready to listen to offers, but this time Milan is asking for more than the €25million that Como was ready to pay. We are talking about a figure higher than €30million.
“We‘ll see what happens, but the news so far is that Newcastle have put Thiaw back in their sights. The player is important to Allegri and he wouldn’t want to part with him, barring offers that aren’t refutable.”
Newcastle United still active in the transfer window
As we head into the final four weeks of the transfer window, Newcastle are still targeting several key positions, including centre-back, midfielder and a striker - regardless of Alexander Isak’s situation.
“The window is challenging for us,” Howe said. “We have multiple players that we are looking at across multiple positions.
"Other clubs will say the same. It is a challenging window as prices are going up and the pool of players we have to pick from is small. We are actively in the market, we are looking. I feel we need to do business, need to bring players in.
"With the challenge of the football calendar this season with all the games we are going to have, we need the options and depth. As we found out two years ago, it's a totally different campaign with Champions League football.
“I hope we can bring players in and not just players but ones that can make a difference. We won't stop until the window shuts."