In a recent report, Manuele Baoicchini mentioned that West Ham United are leading the race for AC Milan defender Malick Thiaw. It has been stated that the Hammers could face competition in the form of Real Madrid in the race to sign the German centre-back.
Thiaw’s Impressive Run Of Form At San Siro
Thiaw is having a solid campaign at the Italian club after he put in a series of dominant displays at the heart of their backline. The German talent has participated in nine matches for AC Milan this season on all fronts.
The 22-year-old has been a rock at the back and deserves a ton of credit for averaging 1.1 tackles, 0.9 interceptions and 2.7 clearances per 90 minutes in Serie A. He has even taken care of the ball when distributing possession from inside his half after making 92.8% of his attempted passes in league football (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at the Milan club will expire in the summer of 2027. Hence, it won’t be easy for the Hammers to sign Thiaw on a cut-price deal next year.
Is Thiaw A Good Choice For West Ham United?
Thiaw is a good tackler of the ball and can sense the danger well to secure possession back for his team on the defensive end of the pitch. He usually puts his foot through the ball when required and excels at playing his way out from the back.
The German sensation is primarily a central defender but can also function as a defensive midfielder or fill in as a right-back if told to do so by his manager.
Thiaw will no doubt add more bite and steel to West Ham‘s defence. He might even help the Hammers push for a European spot in the Premier League over the next few years.
At 22, Thiaw has got his best years ahead of him which makes him a great choice for the East London club to pursue next year. However, he would need time to adapt to the physical style and high intensity of Premier League football if David Moyes can find a way to bring him to the London Stadium this January or at the end of this campaign.
