CM: Thiaw shines for Newcastle with €40m deal labelled a ‘steal’ – why Milan sold him

Malick Thiaw is gradually establishing himself as a key player in Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United side, and his purchase is being praised.

Less than two months after arriving in the Premier League, Calciomercato.com recall that Thiaw is the first choice alongside Sven Botman to lead a defence where a much more experienced player in Fabian Schar has now become a reserve option.

This is shown by the consistency of performances the former Milan player is producing week after week, further bolstered by his excellent display in the Champions League against Benfica.

€40m well spent?

The English press – particularly those regularly covering the Magpies – are appreciating Thiaw’s ability to combine physicality, individual duels, and attacking prowess, going so far as to consider his €40m purchase one of the best deals for a Premier League club in recent years.

The Chronicle Live even went so far as to call it a ‘steal’ from Milan, viewing Thiaw as a player who could quickly reach a valuation double the price paid in the final days of the summer transfer window. After Sandro Tonali, he could become the next Geordie star who came from Milan.

Speaking of which, after the away match against Union Saint-Gilloise, Thiaw heard for the first time the chant dedicated to him by his fans. A chant based on the famous ‘Bella Ciao’ that surprised the player himself.

“It’s fantastic. I don’t know who created it, but he did a great job. My friends and family were in disbelief when they heard it for the first time, because it’s the first time they’ve dedicated a chant to me. And lately, in the physio room, even some of my team-mates have started singing it to me,” he said.

The turning point for Thiaw came after the first international break in mid-September. Since then, thanks to Schar’s head injury, the 24-year-old has become a regular starter alongside Botman, making five appearances in the Premier League, three in the Champions League and one in the Carabao Cup.

Milan deemed the €40m on the table to be too much to turn down, even more so after failing to qualify for the Champions League due to an eighth-place finish last season. Thiaw was sold for a huge capital gain, and the money was reinvested in Koni De Winter and then David Odogu.

Will the Rossoneri feel regret? At the moment Fikayo Tomori, Matteo Gabbia and Strahinja Pavlovic are performing so well that Thiaw might not have even been guaranteed a starting spot. So, it might well be a case of it being a move that was right for everyone.