24y/o snubbed £21m transfer to make 'dream' Newcastle United move - 'I made the right choice'
Malick Thiaw has reflected on his move to Newcastle United ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League match against Marseille.
Malick Thiaw believes he made the ‘right choice’ to leave AC Milan and join Newcastle United in the summer.
The German defender was subject to serious transfer interest from Serie A side Como, who had a £21million bid accepted by Milan at the start of the summer before Newcastle swooped in with a £35million bid plus the allure of Premier League and Champions League football.
Since coming into the side, Thiaw has established himself as a key player under Eddie Howe with some excellent defensive displays. The 24-year-old’s form has seen him return to the German national team for the first time since 2023.
Following Saturday’s 2-1 win over Manchester City at St James’ Park, Thiaw received many plaudits for how well he dealt with the often prolific Erling Haaland.
Reflecting on the Premier League win and coming up against Haaland, Thiaw said: “In general I'm a really confident player, but of course if you play against one of the best players, maybe the best striker right now in football, I think it can give you a little bit of extra motivation or confidence, yeah, so of course I will take that.”
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Malick Thiaw looks ahead to Marseille clash
Thiaw has previous Champions League experience with AC Milan, coming up against Newcastle in the competition back in 2023.
Now he’s looking to help The Magpies progress to the knockout stages of the competition for the first time this season.
While Newcastle currently occupy a top eight spot in the Champions League group phase, Thiaw isn’t getting carried away.
“Yeah, hopefully [we can go far],” he said. “We're just trying to focus on tomorrow. But of course, I think we put ourselves in a really good position with three wins in a row.
“The Champions League is a long journey so we're just trying to focus on the next game tomorrow and then hopefully we will win it and be in a better position.”
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Malick Thiaw on NUFC move
Newcastle were linked with Thiaw back in the summer of 2024 and Howe confirmed the club’s interest at the time before they made an attempt to sign Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi.
But after failing in that pursuit, The Magpies returned to sign Thiaw a year later.
“I've followed Newcastle for two seasons now, and Milan as well,” he said. “I think it's a big club with great players and great fans. I've 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, how he spoke to me and his vision, I was really, really excited and I was just waiting when it was done.
“So I'm really happy to be here and I think I made the right choice.”
Thiaw added: “I'm still just 24. I've already learned and experienced a lot in my own career.