Newcastle Close to €40M Deal for Malick Thiaw

Newcastle United are close to signing AC Milan centre-back Malick Thiaw for a fee of €35–40 million including add-ons, with personal terms agreed and a medical pending. Thiaw, aged 24, chose Newcastle despite interest from Juventus, Bayer Leverkusen, and Como, in part due to the club's European football prospects. Milan, under new head coach Massimiliano Allegri, had initially rejected lower offers but are now prepared to accept Newcastle's latest bid. The signing is expected to provide a crucial boost to Newcastle’s defense, which has struggled with injuries and lacks younger options. Newcastle fans have welcomed the move as a rare positive in an otherwise challenging transfer window. The final agreement is expected imminently.