In the summer transfer window, Newcastle United were linked with a swoop for AC Milan’s Malick Thiaw.
The move never went through but the constant insistence from the Italian press was that a fee of over €25m could convince the Rossoneri into selling another player to Newcastle.
The Magpies were the ‘most interested’ club in the German and it now seems as if reaching Milan’s asking price could be a case of hitting a moving target.
La Gazzetta dello Sport state today that while the former Italian champions wanted between €30m and €35m in the summer, it would be very difficult for a club to pay that price now – even Newcastle.
They are at risk of earning significantly less than that amount, with Thiaw having fallen down the club’s pecking order for centre-backs.
He has ‘disappeared from the radar’ after a poor performance against Torino and an injury, making sure that his general valuation and asking price in Milan’s eyes has fallen significantly.
Of course, the €30-35m range is even higher than the fanciful claims from Newcastle United in the summer, and perhaps an attempt to then make €20-25m look like a good price.
