Newcastle United in pole position to sign £30 million star

Defence had been a key weakness for Newcastle United in the first half of the season and The Magpies went a long way in solving this problem by signing Dan Burn from Brighton & Hove Albion, Kieran Trippier from Atletico Madrid and Matt Targett, on loan, from Aston Villa in January. These additions have gone a long way in turning the season around for Eddie Howe’s side.

While once relegation had looked inevitable, now it looks improbable. And it is safe to say that the January arrivals deserve immense credit for that.

But at the same time, do not be surprised if the club end up making more defensive additions in the summer. There is the feeling that Howe is still searching for a top-class centre-back.

As reported by Football Insider, Newcastle United are in pole position to sign Sven Botman from Lille in the summer for a transfer fee around £30 million even though he has agreed personal terms with AC Milan. It is believed that the defender remains a priority for Howe.

Newcastle United in pole position to sign Botman from Lille

Botman is rumoured to have agreed terms with AC Milan, but Newcastle United feel that they can still win the race for the Dutch centre-back. It is believed that he is eager to play in the Premier League.

He was a standout for Lille last season as they went on to beat Paris Saint-Germain to the Ligue 1 title. This time around, their season is not going as well, even though they did make the knockout phase of the Champions League. And Botman remains a man in demand.

Still just 22 years of age, it is safe to say that Botman has tremendous potential and can go on to become one of the best defenders in the world in the future. Thus, if Newcastle United are able to sign him, it would be considered as a major coup.