Pre-season preparation: Cheikh Tidiane Thiam confirms his immense potential with Villarreal

As the new La Liga season approaches, Cheikh Tidiane Thiam continues to impress at Villarreal. The 20-year-old Senegalese midfielder shone in the Yellow Submarine's 3-1 friendly victory over PSV Eindhoven, delivering a convincing performance that confirms he possesses the qualities needed to take his game to the next level.

Highly active in midfield, the player, who came through the Oslo academy, distinguished himself with his technical ability, vision, and impressive work rate. This performance did not go unnoticed and could influence the new coach, Iñigo Pérez, when selecting the squad for the first team this season.

The Spanish coach is closely monitoring young talents from the reserve team, and Cheikh Tidiane Thiam, who scored a goal and provided an assist against PSV, seems to have sent a strong signal with this accomplished performance.

With the Spanish league set to resume in a few weeks, the Senegalese player appears to be one of the most credible candidates for promotion, a logical reward for his constant progress.

As for the other young Senegalese players at the club, defender Moussa Diallo (19 years old) remained on the bench for this match. Pape Alassane Guèye, meanwhile, was not included in the matchday squad. The midfielder has just resumed training after his vacation following his impressive performance at the 2026 World Cup, where he drew attention with his outstanding displays.

This summer preseason is therefore crucial for the young Senegalese players at Villarreal. While awaiting Pape Guèye's return to competition and a potential resurgence from Moussa Diallo, Cheikh Tidiane Thiam seems to have gained an advantage thanks to promising performances that reinforce his ambitions to secure a permanent place in the first team.