Chronicle’s Newcastle editor Aaron Stokes has admitted that he feels Sven Botman favours a move to AC Milan as opposed to a switch to St. James’ Park this summer.
Speaking on the Everything is Black and White podcast, Stokes discussed the ongoing situation regarding the defender who The Toon are huge admirers of.
Back in January they tried to sign the Dutchman from Lille but to no avail, although a recent report from 90min positioned Newcastle with a strong chance of landing the £27m-rated rock who has also been heavily linked with a move to PSG and AC Milan but it is thought that talks with the recently crowned Serie A champions have stalled.
RedBird Capital Partners recently acquired Milan in a £1.2bn investment and Stokes believes that is the reason why Botman is yet to move on with Italy his preferred destination according to the journalist.
Will Newcastle sign Botman this summer?
Yes
No
(40:29) “From what we understand, you know, he is sort of waiting for Milan.
“You sort of can’t blame him in a sense, for all Newcastle United is an exciting project, who are going to do very well in the next couple of years, you’re talking about Serie A champions, Champions League football, you know, the home of Maldini, Nesta, all these fantastic centre backs from years gone by.
“You know, we do understand that Newcastle and Lille you know, do have a feel that they’re almost there on that fee it is just up to the player now and it all just depends on sort of Milan’s takeover situation. They’re in a takeover progress themselves and that is sort of causing their delay their side but it looks on that front that he does want to go there which obviously is a shame.”
TIF Thoughts on Botman not going to Newcastle…
While it is a dampener to the Tynesiders’ hopes of landing what Stokes had dubbed a ‘statement signing’ they will have to look at alternatives.
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Chronicle Live picked out Hungarian defender Attila Szalai nicknamed the ‘Hungarian Van Dijk’ while according to the Spanish Press (via Sport Witness) the north-east club are ready to splash out on Jules Kounde.
Fabian Schar, Jamaal Lascelles and Dan Burn shared the responsibility at centre-back for Eddie Howe but he is going to need at least one other option in that department as the Magpies look to build on a strong finish to last season.