Champions League defender gets Paul Mitchell approval after Newcastle United talks & £25m 'green light' claim

Newcastle have already made contract with Milan this summer and held talks with the player’s representatives. The 22-year-old, made 30 appearances for AC Milan during the 2023-24 campaign including one against Newcastle in the Champions League.

Thiaw kept a clean sheet as Milan drew 0-0 with The Magpies last September but missed the reverse fixture at St James’ Park in December due to injury. Reports from Tutto Mercato in Italy have claimed that an offer of £25million would be enough for Milan to give the Germany international the ‘green light’ to leave the club this summer.

While no official bid has been made, Italian transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio Newcastle are ‘very interested’ in Thiaw with new sporting director Paul Mitchell also taking a liking to the centre-back.

Di Marzio wrote on his website: “The Milan transfer market continues and after having made official the purchase of [Alvaro] Morata, the Rossoneri will now try to further strengthen the team. In terms of exits, however, Newcastle has returned heavily on Malick Thiaw.

“Newcastle had already been following the German defender at the beginning of the summer but could now come back with force on the player.

“At the moment, no official offers have arrived at the Rossoneri club, but the English team is very interested. The 2001-born player, in fact, is very much liked by the new sporting director Paul Mitchell.”

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A centre-back addition is high on the transfer agenda for Newcastle this summer with Thiaw one of several names under consideration in that position. The Magpies have already made one defensive addition so far this summer with Lloyd Kelly joining following his release from AFC Bournemouth.

But Eddie Howe had to name Emil Krafth and Dan Burn as starting centre-backs in Newcastle’s behind-closed-doors pre-season opener against SpVgg Unterhaching at Adidas Headquarters on Saturday. The Magpies won 3-1 but Kelly did not feature in the match.

Newcastle’s natural centre-back options are limited to Kelly, Burn and Fabian Schar heading into the new season with Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles both recovering from long-term ACL injuries.