No marvel Newcastle had been monitoring Thiaw's progress at Milan for a while.
There was a perception throughout the membership that it might be tough to seek out one other defender with an analogous profile for such a value, significantly one as imposing, athletic and comfy on the ball.
Thiaw, crucially, was additionally eager on the transfer.
He had a productive chat with Howe and was understood to have considered Newcastle as a “match” for his ambitions.
He was “proud” of Newcastle's curiosity after personally doing his homework on the membership and the Premier League.
In actual fact, Paul Winsper, a excessive efficiency marketing consultant who beforehand labored for Newcastle, says he was even capable of “promote the North East just a little bit” to Thiaw throughout a coaching camp within the Lake District a couple of weeks beforehand.
Winsper, who has additionally labored with heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua, England rugby union captain Maro Itoje and Actual Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger, at all times backed the 24-year-old to “relish” life at St James' Park.
“I am not saying AC Milan usually are not an enormous membership – they're – nevertheless it's a distinct environment at Newcastle and he has the character,” Winsper stated.
“His mentality jogs my memory quite a lot of Toni Rudiger. If you get him underneath strain, he's going to thrive.”
Thiaw definitely needed to thrive after Fabian Schar suffered a concussion final month.
Solely captain Bruno Guimaraes (167) has made extra appearances for Newcastle than Schar (162) underneath Howe.
Schar has been such an ever-present at right-sided centre-back that Thiaw initially needed to be affected person to get his likelihood after arriving a couple of days earlier than the season began.
However Thiaw used that point on the bench to check video games – witnessing the “chunk” and pace of the Premier League first hand, within the phrases of Howe – and he impressed workers along with his performances in coaching.
So when the time got here to make his full debut, in opposition to Bournemouth, Thiaw was primed to take his likelihood.
Such have been his shows since then, the 6ft 4in Thiaw has stored maintain of the shirt.
That won't have come as a shock to shut buddy Erdem Canpolat, who rose by way of the ranks with Thiaw at Schalke.
“Malick by no means shies away from a problem and at all times desires to guide from the entrance – a real mentality monster,” he stated.
