Newcastle United fear missing out on key transfer target amid AC Milan interest

Newcastle United’s transfer season has been one of the most talked about and busiest in recent years.

Their new found wealth has meant they have been able to compete in transfer competitions with some of the biggest clubs in Europe and were consequently the highest spending club in the January transfer window.

It was reported that they spent around £10million on signings with Dan Burn being cited as Newcastle United’s ‘best’ signing this season according to former Leeds United goalkeeper Paddy Kenny.

Kieran Trippier, Chris Wood, Bruno Guimaraes and Matt Targett also joined the Magpies fight for Premier League survival.

However, it now looks as if Newcastle are likely to lose out on another target they had been eyeing up may be drifting out of sight.

Dutch defender Sven Botman had been on Newcastle’s list to sign in January but had two offers pushed back. This was not to deter the Magpies, however, who kept the Dutchman on their radar in the hope of having another crack at pinching the Lille defender in the summer.

Multiple reports from Radio Rossonera and Sportitalia via Football Italia and sports journalist Antonio Vitiello have now delivered crushing news to the northern hopefuls by relaying the news that Botman’s agent, Nikkie Bruinenberg is set to watch the AC Milan v Lazio Coppa Italia quarter-final match this evening (Thursday 10 February 2022).

Milan have always been a strong contender for Botman’s next move but Lille were refusing to let one of their top defenders go in the January transfer window.

How close were Newcastle United to pinching Botman?

Newcastle’s name had been mentioned in the bidding war for the 22-year-old throughout the January transfer window but the Magpies were up against some strong contenders.

Not only were Inter Milan fairly vocal about their hopes of signing Botman but Antonio Conte’s Tottenham Hotspur was also in the mix and now likely to be equally mournful at the prospect of Bruinenberg in Italy tonight.

The bidding war, which was reportedly set at around £25 million may soon be over for the Magpies with the Rossoneri remaining the firm favourites for Botman.

Milan will also see the young Dutchman as a perfect replacement for Simon Kjaer who is out for the rest of the season after undergoing knee surgery.

Another defender, Alessio Romangnoli, is also expected to part from Milan as a free agent when his contract expires in the summer.

While Botman called Newcastle a ‘very nice project’ on deadline day, it is becoming a much more plausible reality that the defender will join the side he referred to as ‘the beautiful club’.

With his agent set to make an appearance in Milan’s next fixture, this will undoubtedly give Bruinenberg the opportunity to speak with the Club’s directors, Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara who will also be in attendance.

Who is Sven Botman?

The 22-year-old centre-back started out his youth career with RKSV Pancratius before moving to Ajax in 2009 where he remained until 2020.

As part of the Ajax seconds, Botman appeared 28 times before moving on loan to SC Heerenveen.

In 2020, Botman signed a 5-year-contract with the Ligue 1 club Lille for a deal which was worth around £7 million.

The young centre-back has also been part of the Netherlands youth squad since U15 level and will likely hope to feature at this year’s Qatar World Cup if he continues to impress for whomever he ends up playing for.