Journalist Ben Wild has given his thoughts on a potential move that Newcastle United could make for Sven Botman in the upcoming January transfer window.
With Eddie Howe looking to fix what is the joint-worst defence in the Premier League, having conceded 42 goals in their opening 19 games, getting extra defenders in is set to be the order of the day for the club in the upcoming window.
And according to reports from The Daily Mail, Newcastle have ‘stepped up negotiations’ with Lille over a potential £30m deal for Botman, who has been described as a ‘rising defensive star’.
Speaking during a video for Football Insider, Wild praised Botman’s ability and what he could bring to the team, whilst also noting that Newcastle potentially getting him for £30m would be considered something of a bargain.
He said: “If Newcastle are the only one offering Sven Botman a way to the Premier League, and he wants to come, I could see a deal being done there. But I think £30m for a 21-year-old centre-half who’s already got a wealth of experience under his belt – and we know is gonna get better – I think it’s a cracking deal.
“£30m to Newcastle previously was unheard of, even after Joelinton signed – it now looks a bargain, doesn’t it? But when it was £40m, that was ridiculous, but now, £30m for clubs like us with the money we have is just going to become the norm, I think – we’re gonna look at that and go, ‘yeah, that’s pretty good’.”
TIF Thoughts on Ben Wild’s comments about Sven Botman and Newcastle United…
How many players do Newcastle need to sign?
Five or less?
More than five?
Wild is right when it comes to how much Newcastle United have spent in the past, because signing players for £30m and above has been a very rare occurrence indeed for the Magpies, with only Joelinton breaking that mark when he signed for them in 2019.
And a situation like this, if they are able to complete the deal, is pretty low-risk for them, because if they are able to stay up, then they have someone who they can build a defence around moving forward as they look to achieve their lofty ambitions.
But if he can come in and perform to the level that has earned him such a reputation, even if they get relegated, they’ll be able to cash in on him in the summer, which may not be a huge issue for a club as rich as Newcastle United, though it will at least soften the blow for them.
Alternatively, they might even be able to tempt him to stick around for a year in the Championship whilst the team begins to build that way instead. So whichever way you look at it, Newcastle stand to benefit from such a deal.
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