Charting His Own Course: Former World Cup Star Endorses Malick Thiaw’s Future

Newcastle Star

Benedikt Höwedes, a former World Cup winner from Germany, has praised Newcastle’s central defender Malick Thiaw for his remarkable start in the Premier League this season. He is not surprised at all to see the German international flourish. Thiaw joined St James’s Park this summer with a €35 million transfer from AC Milan, making him the club’s third most expensive defensive signing to date. It seems this investment has quickly paid dividends for Eddie Howe’s side.

Thiaw has made a strong impression on the Geordie fans, starting in 75% of Newcastle’s league matches and 83% of their Champions League appearances this season. The talented 24-year-old has also netted two goals in his first 22 games, establishing himself as one of the standout signings in the Premier League this year. Like Höwedes, Thiaw began his career at Schalke before moving to Serie A. Although Höwedes never played in the Premier League, he admires Thiaw for making the move and successfully adapting to his new club.

“He is a fantastic player,” noted the 37-year-old former international. “I’ve followed his career at Schalke and AC Milan closely. He’s crafting his own path, which is impressive. He has reached the national team by performing at a high level internationally, not just domestically. He’s still young and has plenty of room to grow. Currently, the German national team boasts defenders like Nico Schlotterbeck, Jonathan Tah, and Toni Rüdiger, who are more experienced. He could learn a lot from them if he joins the national team. However, I’m confident he will make it and find his way, as he’s too talented to fail.”

Thiaw’s transfer to Newcastle represents a fantastic opportunity for him to further his development and aim for a place in Julian Nagelsmann’s squad for the World Cup next summer. After reaching a peak market value of €30 million late in 2023 with Milan, his value dropped below €20 million before his move to England. However, his impressive performances since then have not only restored his market value but also increased it significantly, growing by €22 million this season alone.

As a result, Thiaw is now the most valuable German defender globally, matching the market value of Borussia Dortmund’s Schlotterbeck but surpassing him in value due to being two years younger. If Thiaw continues his current form with Howe’s side, he appears set to be a leading candidate for the German national team next summer.