Malick Thiaw makes 'dream' transfer admission after £35m Newcastle United move
Malick Thiaw has discussed his £35million move to Newcastle United.
Malick Thiaw has revealed he dreamed of playing in the Premier League before joining Newcastle United.
Thiaw arrived from AC Milan for £35million in the summer and has quickly become one of the first names on the Magpies’ team sheet.
Due to the form of Fabian Schar and Dan Burn - United’s Carabao Cup-winning centre-back partnership - Thiaw had to remain patient initially, but his opportunity came when Schar sustained a concussion during the Champions League defeat to Barcelona on September 18.
Since then, the 24-year-old hasn’t looked back, having started the last 15 matches, as well as earning his first Germany call-up in two years.
On Saturday, Thiaw scored his first Newcastle goals as he netted a brace in the 4-1 win away to Everton.
Malick Thiaw on staying patient at Newcastle United
“I think the time I wasn't playing was a good time for me to adapt to the team, to the intensity of the training, what the gaffer wants, how my teammates are playing,” Thiaw admitted. “So I think actually this time when I wasn't playing.
“You can look at it in a way like, okay, I could be frustrated but I was trying just to improve each training day and get the best out of each training session. So yeah, and I think at the end it paid out.
“So when I came in, I was not really surprised by the speed because the training intensity in Newcastle is really, really high. So I think it helped me a lot.”
Newcastle United made several attempts to sign Malick Thiaw
Newcastle came up against Thiaw during a Champions League match at the San Siro in September 2023 and in the following summer were linked with a transfer.
Quizzed about the Thiaw links during the club’s pre-season tour of Tokyo, Eddie Howe admitted he was a “very good player” but that was as far as it went as United instead tried, and failed, to sign Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace.
It wasn’t until Thiaw rejected a move to Como 1907 in July that the Newcastle links re-emerged. This time, an agreement was struck.
“Malick was a player we'd known for a long, long time and we'd made various attempts to try and sign him and it hadn't quite worked out in previous windows,” Howe explained to NewcastleWorld.
“This window, it felt like everything might align a bit better in terms of his situation at his club, our need, available funds, there's a lot that goes into it and thankfully that was the case.
“It wasn't an easy transfer to complete, he's obviously very highly rated, but we were delighted to see off any other suitors and finally get him. It felt like a long pursuit but certainly worth the wait.”
Malick Thiaw made the ‘right choice’ joining Newcastle United
And by joining Newcastle, Thiaw believes he made the right decision.
The German said: “I've followed Newcastle for two seasons now in Milan as well. I think it's a big club with great players, with great fans. I played against them as well, so I could feel the intensity of the game.
“I think in general, one of my dreams was always to play in the Premier League, so when I got the call from the gaffer and how he spoke to me and his vision, I was really, really excited. I was just waiting when it was done.
“I'm really, really happy to be here and I think I made the right choice.”