Newcastle confirm agreement to sign Sven Botman

Botman
had
been
linked
to
both
big-spending
Premier
League
side
Newcastle
and
Serie
A
champions
Milan
since
January.

The
defender
discussed
“very
concrete”
interest
from
both
clubs,
describing
a
“good
project”
at
Newcastle,
only
for
Lille
to
reject
the
Magpies’ advances
in
the
middle
of
the
season.

Newcastle
and
Milan
appeared
to
be
frustrated
at
the
start
of
this
transfer
window,
too,
with
Lille
demanding
a
significant
fee
for
a
player
determined
to
leave
Ligue
1.

But
Eddie
Howe’s
Newcastle
forged
a
breakthrough
late
last
week
and
agreed
a
deal
that
has
now
been
confirmed
following
a
medical
on
Tyneside.

The
Magpies
on
Tuesday
(June
28)
revealed
that
the
formalities
of
the
transfer
are
set
to
be
concluded
this
week,
with
the
22-year
then
officially
becoming
a
Newcastle
player.

Newcastle
United
have
agreed
a
deal
in
principle
with
LOSC
Lille
to
sign
Dutch
defender
Sven
Botman
for
an
undisclosed
fee!

—
Newcastle
United
FC
(@NUFC)

June
28,
2022

Botman,
a
former
Ajax
academy
graduate
who
won
Ligue
1
in
his
first
season
in
France,
has
agreed
terms
to
put
pen
to
paper
a
five-year
contract
at
St
James’ Park.

Following
the
signings
of
Matt
Targett
and
Nick
Pope,
Botman
would
appear
likely
to
come
into
Howe’s
team
ahead
of
Dan
Burn,
another
powerful,
left-footed
centre-back
who
was
signed
in
his
stead
in
January.

Burn
won
4.3
aerial
duels
and
made
6.1
clearances
and
0.9
blocks
per
90
minutes
after
signing
from
Brighton
and
Hove
Albion
for
£13m,
beating
Botman’s
marks
for
the
2021-22
season
in
each
metric
(2.3,
4.5,
0.8).

But
Howe
will
hope
Botman
can
be
key
to
Newcastle’s
development
into
a
more
possession-focused
side;
he
completed
53.4
passes
per
90
with
Lille
to
Burn’s
28.6
at
Newcastle.