Newcastle Complete Malick Thiaw Medical Ahead Of €40m Move From AC Milan

Malick Thiaw has finished his medical tests at Newcastle United. The club is finalizing a €40 million deal with AC Milan.

WHAT HAPPENED?

The German center-back had tests on Monday. He only needs to sign the final paperwork before the official announcement. Local reports say Thiaw’s move to Newcastle is imminent. They will pay around €40 million including add-ons. The defender is in England to finalize the deal after advanced talks between Newcastle, Milan, and his representatives over the weekend. It has been reported that Newcastle United submitted a bid of approximately €35 million plus €5 million in bonuses for Malick Thiaw.

WHY NEWCASTLE WANT THIAW

Newcastle have signed Thiaw to strengthen a back line that had injury problems last season. Newcastle-specific reporting said his medical was the last step before signing, and showed the club’s confidence the deal would be done. At 24, he fits Eddie Howe’s preference for athletic defenders who defend on the front foot. They should be comfortable in build-up and covering runs back when players try to counterattack. Thiaw was a regular in AC Milan’s defense last season, showcasing his capability at the top level.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Thiaw leaves Milan having emerged as a regular option in the lineup. Fans and club media in Italy and England have closely tracked his move to Newcastle United this week. Video interviews about the transfer have underlined Thiaw’s openness to a new challenge and the pull of the Premier League. For Newcastle, they have added another senior center-back to give them depth and competition with Sven Botman and others in what will be a demanding campaign. AC Milan’s manager, Massimiliano Allegri, had been trying to keep Thiaw despite Newcastle’s improved offer.

FORM AND STANDINGS CONTEXT

Newcastle go into the new Premier League season trying to bounce back into European places. That follows a mixed 2024/25 campaign where they finished 5th, having just reached Champions League qualification, but have reportedly failed 10 transfer targets so far this transfer window, as the players ended up opting for other interested teams. The club wants to strengthen its central defense after aiming to stop opposing sides scoring last season. Meanwhile, AC Milan are continuing to reshape their squad in the summer, selling players and signing reinforcements to try to qualify for the Champions League spots in the Serie A after finishing 8th and outside of European spots last season.

WHAT NEXT?

Thiaw will sign his contract and will then be officially unveiled after the clubs exchange the final documents. Newcastle’s attention will then turn to integrating Thiaw quickly. Their first league match will be played soon against Aston Villa. Tactical work at the training ground could revolve around structure for set-pieces and build-up patterns. Milan will look to cover his departure with the players already in their squad and will look to the market. They will be without Thiaw for the forthcoming fixtures, which will test their depth.