Malick Thiaw has been linked with a move away from AC Milan in recent months and according to a report, Bayer Leverkusen see him as one of their top targets for the defence.
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After quite a lot of playing time in the first half of the season, as well as at the start of the year, Thiaw lost his starting spot and spent most games on the bench towards the end. Having arrived for around €9m in the summer of 2022, it’s becoming clear that Milan are eyeing a capital gain.
According to Christian Falk in his ‘Fact Files’ for the Daily Briefing, Bayer Leverkusen want to sign two centre-backs this summer and Malick Thiaw is one of their top candidates. Following the free transfer of Jonathan Tah to Bayern Munich, they really need to boost their defence.
Erik Ten Hag was recently announced as Leverkusen’s new manager and as highlighted by Falk, Thiaw would fit in well. The price tag, as things stand, is between €20-25m and that would allow Milan to register a sizeable capital gain, and to reinvest in another centre-back.
Max Allegri, the new head coach, has already made it clear that he wants to keep Strahinja Pavlovic. And with at least one exit expected on the centre-backs front, that leaves just Fikayo Tomori and the aforementioned Thiaw for Milan to make some money.
Thiaw was signed for significantly less money, so there is a good capital gain opportunity there, while Tomori arrived in a rather expensive deal from Chelsea in the summer of 2021.