Malick Thiaw

Key strength: Aerial dominance

Defensive anchor

In a Newcastle United campaign that has fallen dramatically short of last season's Champions League heroics, Malick Thiaw stands as a beacon of defensive reliability amid the Magpies' 12th-place struggles. The €40 million-rated German centre-back has been an ever-present force, racking up 35 appearances and nearly 3,000 minutes as Eddie Howe desperately seeks stability. At 24, Thiaw has already emerged as the vocal leader of Newcastle's backline, using his imposing 1.94-meter frame to dominate aerial duels—his 5 goals from set-pieces making him an unlikely attacking threat. His composed ball-playing ability allows Newcastle to build from the back, connecting seamlessly with Bruno Guimarães and Sandro Tonali in midfield. While the Magpies' European dreams have faded into the reality of mid-table mediocrity following their recent LWWWL run, Thiaw's maturity and discipline—just 5 yellow cards across a full campaign of intense Premier League football—suggest he's not merely a stop-gap solution, but the defensive foundation upon which Newcastle's future will be rebuilt.