Newcastle United have been very busy in the transfer market ever since their takeover by a consortium headed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. The takeover meant that Newcastle who were in a dire financial situation before, are now one of the richest clubs in the world. Their newfound financial power was visible in the January transfer window, as the Magpies spent the most money out of all clubs in the top 5 leagues in Europe, with a whopping $112 million spent on transfers, as they revamped the squad in a bid to survive in the Premier League this season.
Their squad revival is set to continue into the next season as well, and the club have already made progress in a few deals, with one deal set to be completed soon. The Magpies are said to be close to signing centre-back Sven Botman from Lille. Newcastle United have been after the defender since the January transfer window and looks set to secure the signature of the Dutchman.
Newcastle tried very hard to sign the 22-year-old central defender in January but failed to agree on a fee with French club Lille. Botman himself is said to be keen on the move, describing it as a ‘nice project’ when the transfer links first surfaced. The Magpies eventually signed Brighton defender Dan Burn after failing to land Botman, and will now look at the summer window to sign the highly-rated defender.
However, there is a race between a few clubs for the signature of Botman, with Italian league-leaders AC Milan also in the fray now. Various reports suggest that the Dutchman has already agreed on terms with the Italian giants, but Newcastle are confident of outbidding the Rossoneri and winning the race for the 22-year-old. The Dutchman played a starring role in Lille’s shock title win last season, as they overcame defending champions and a vastly superior team in PSG to win the Ligue 1 title for only the 4th time in their history. Botman played a crucial role in the team, keeping a stunning 21 clean sheets in 37 league starts.
His performances have drawn praise from pundits and has been described as the ideal signing for Newcastle United. They had been leaky at the back at the start of the season, and although they have conceded lesser goals in the last few months, their defence still needs to improve. Manager Eddie Howe has seen him as the top transfer target and the one to take their defence to the next level. The Dutchman has been described as a world-class player at a very young age of 22, and Howe is said to be eager to see him don the Black and White colours.
Botman could be one of several arrivals at St. James’ Park in the summer, with the Newcastle owners preparing to build on their £94 million spending in the winter. The Magpies believe that a fee upwards of £30 million should be enough to satisfy Lille after they had a £27 million offer rejected in January. Sven Botman seems set to leave the French club this summer, with AC Milan and Newcastle both touted as possible destinations, and according to transfer gurus, will most likely end up in England. The Dutchman has a contract till June 30th of 2025, and it remains to see who he chooses to go within the summer.
