Newcastle dealt bad news in Malick Thiaw pursuit as AC Milan coach demands defender stay amid €30m bid from Premier League side

AC Milan have rejected a €30 million bid from Newcastle for Malick Thiaw, as head coach Massimiliano Allegri wants to keep the defender at the club.

  • Newcastle’s €30 million offer rejected by Milan
  • side asking for €45m to consider sale
  • Thiaw has agreed terms with Magpies

Newcastle dealt bad news in Malick Thiaw pursuit as AC Milan coach demands defender stay amid €30m bid from Premier League sideNewcastle dealt bad news in Malick Thiaw pursuit as AC Milan coach demands defender stay amid €30m bid from Premier League sideNewcastle dealt bad news in Malick Thiaw pursuit as AC Milan coach demands defender stay amid €30m bid from Premier League side

According to Fabrizio Romano, Milan have deemed the €30m (£25m/$35m) bid for Thiaw insufficient and will only consider an offer of around €45m (£38m/$53m). Head coach Allegri values him as a key part of the squad thanks to his impressive performances in the pre-season games. However, according to Sky Newcastle have already agreed personal terms with the defender on a contract running until 2029.

Milan signed the 23-year-old from Schalke for €8m in 2022. After a challenging start in , he impressed then head coach Stefano Pioli and earned a regular starting role during the 2023-24 season. The following season, under Paulo Fonseca, Thiaw continued to see consistent game time and caught attention with strong performances, including a goal against at the Santiago Bernabeu. His form also drew interest from coach Cesc Fabregas, but the German defender turned down the opportunity to make the move.

Having completed the signing of Ardon Jashari from , Milan will now try to conclude the deal for defender Zachary Athekame who has been targeted as the replacement for who left the club to join .

Milan will resist any attempts to sell defender Thiaw, as coach Allegri has specifically asked for him to remain at the club. The German, meanwhile, hopes for clarity on his future soon, with the new season set to begin in a few days.