Newcastle United delivered Malick Thiaw transfer ‘blow’ amid ‘fee agreed’ claims

Thiaw has been linked with a move to St James’ Park throughout the summer, with various reports from Italy suggesting that a move to Newcastle United for the German international was at an ‘advanced’ stage. Such reports led to Thiaw’s agent, Gordon Stipic, to come out and deny that AC Milan and Newcastle had agreed a fee for the defender.

Stipic said: “The current reporting about my client Malick Thiaw in connection with a possible transfer to Newcastle United is false and incorrect. Therefore, I will not comment on any further rumours.”

The Magpies are in the market for defensive reinforcements this summer, with their two friendly games against Hull City and Urawa Reds highlighting their current lack of depth in the middle of defence. Emil Krafth and Dan Burn have had to play as a makeshift partnership in both of those games with Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles sidelined through injury and Fabian Schar having been given extra time off following his Euro 2024 commitments.

Thiaw’s name has emerged as a possibility for Newcastle United this summer and Eddie Howe was asked about those reports earlier this week. Howe responded: “I’m always reluctant to comment but he is a player that I know about of course from our games in the Champions League against Milan and yeah, he is a very good player.”

However, with no bid yet submitted for Thiaw, the defender is beginning preparations for another season at the San Siro and played 78 minutes of AC Milan’s pre-season friendly win over Real Madrid at Soldier Field in Chicago on Wednesday night. Thiaw started for Paulo Fonseca’s side against the reigning European champions as a sole Samuel Chukwueze goal sealed the win for Milan.

Strahinja Pavlovic, who has joined Milan from RB Salzburg in recent times, was not part of Fonseca’s squad in Chicago. The Serbian defender has been viewed as Thiaw’s potential replacement at Milan, should he be on his way out of the door this summer.