Newcastle United's £30m new signing will have to be patient says Eddie Howe
Newcastle United finally got a right-sided central defender through the door this summer as German defender Malick Thiaw joined from AC Milan for £30 million.
Malick Thiaw had been on Newcastle's radar for a while, with a move looking very close last summer before the Magpies refocused their attention on the fruitless pursuit of England defender Marc Guehi.
Then this summer, Newcastle decided to move again for the talented centre-back and finally got their man.
Thiaw had to make do with a place on the bench on the opening day of the season down at Villa Park, with the 24-year-old watching the entire game from the sidelines.
Eddie Howe praised Dan Burn and Fabian Schar
With Liverpool heading to St James' Park on Monday night, Eddie Howe was asked in his pre-match press conference if the likes of Sven Botman and Malick Thiaw would have to be patient in light of Fabian Schar and Dan Burn's performances last week.
"Fabian and Dan were excellent against Aston Villa. Defending, leading, organising - making sure that we concentrated throughout the game, it would have been very easy for one slip to cost us. I thought we looked really good in that respect.
“Sven, Malick and Jamaal are all outstanding players individually and will give us a lot this year but when you’re not in the team you have to be patient, train really well so when you do get your opportunity you can grab it.”
After the displays the two veterans put in against Villa, it would be a bold move to split them up or replace them for the sake of it, which means Thiaw may have to wait to make his full debut.
Malick Thiaw and Jacob Ramsey could make their St James' Park debuts on Monday
Much like in the Aston Villa game, there's a good chance that both Thiaw and Botman remain on the bench. It's always a risk changing centre-backs unless you've got a comfortable lead, which we'd be very surprised to see happen on Monday night.
However, with it being Newcastle's first game of the season at St James' Park, it would be good to see the new boys on the pitch, so if Thiaw and Jacob Ramsey could be introduced at some point, we're sure that would go down well with fans.
Aaron Ramsdale may have to wait a bit longer, however.
