The ‘other’ Milan defender eyeing a bright future with Magpies

THERE is more than one former AC Milan defender hoping to impress for Newcastle United this season.

- By MARK CARRUTHERS

Malick Thiaw is currently settling into life at St James’ Park after completing a reported £30m move to Tyneside earlier this month and he could make his Magpies debut in Monday's eagerly anticipated home game with Liverpool.

However, there is another defender with experience of wearing the famous red-and-black shirts of the Serie A giants within the United ranks and this month marks the two-year anniversary of his arrival at the club.

Magpies Under-21s captain Cathal Heffernan has enjoyed a solid start to the new season as he led his side to a 4-3 win in a National League Cup tie at Gateshead before they fell to a 2-1 home defeat against Southampton in their opening game of the Premier League 2 campaign.

The former Cork City centre-back spent time training with Juventus, Roma and Atalanta earlier in his career before Milan made a move for his services in January 2022. After making an initial loan move to the Rossoneri that became a permanent switch six months later, Heffernan experienced life within Milan's Under-18s and Under-19s sides - and the experience left a lasting impression on him.

He told The Journal: “I loved it, I loved living there, it was a big change and it was really hard at the start. I think I underestimated how difficult it was going to be at the start and it was a difficult challenge because I went from training part-time in Ireland to being a full-time professional at 16.