Newcastle United is actively seeking defensive reinforcements this summer and according to the latest reports emerging mid-July, the club is focusing on landing AC Milan’s Fikayo Tomori and Malick Thiaw.
Sempre Milan echoed a Corriere della Sera report speaking about Newcastle’s interest in signing the pairing on July 12.
Whether or not the rumors are true, you never know, but they at least make some sense considering the precarious situation of the Magpies defensive line at least for the start of the upcoming season with key players—namely Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles—both sidelined until the new year following ACL injuries and surgeries.
The departure of Paul Dummett at the end of his contract has further depleted their defensive lineup although you can simply place free-agent signee Lloyd Kelly in his slot to make up for that. Still, there are (at least temporary) gaps to fill in the backline.
Kelly is expected to cover Botman’s absence on the center of the line paired with veteran Fabian Schar and he could start at the left-back position too, as a younger Dan Burn. Despite that, Newcastle would be borderline insane to enter the season and spent the first few months of it with just a couple or three bonafide center-backs at Eddie Howe’s disposal.
Fikayo Tomori moved from Chelsea to Milan and since leaving England he’s showcased impressive performances on a weekly basis, including a strong outing at St James’ Park last season in a Champions League matchup against the Geordies. Tomori, however, appears uninterested in a move to Newcastle, reportedly viewing it as a step down in his career following stints at Chelsea and Milan and the success he’s finding in Italy.
On the other hand, Malick Thiaw, a German center-back, appears a more attainable target for Newcastle, according to the Corriere reports.
Milan is considering signing Strahinja Pavlovic from RB Salzburg in what could be the biggest clue about the potential sale of either Thiaw or Tomori. Should this transfer materialize, it could facilitate Thiaw’s (most probably among those two) departure to Newcastle, although there is another possibility in which AC Milan holds onto the trio of Pavlovic, Tomori, and Thiaw and gives Newcastle the cold shoulder.
If you want another reason for hope, there is a precedent between these two doing business happening as recently as last season. Last summer, NUFC completed a €70+ million transfer by signing Sandro Tonali from AC Milan, so there’s that, in case it helps you believe one of Thiaw or Tomori will end up dressed in black and white stripes.
