AC Milan had been linked with Sven Botman since the January window and despite reaching an agreement with the player, he ended up joining Newcastle. The defender has now opened up about this decision.
As captain Alessio Romagnoli is on his way out (expiring contract), Milan had identified Botman as the perfect replacement given his quality (and also that he’s left-footed). The negotiations, however, were complicated due to the competition from Newcastle.
In the end, Botman opted for Newcastle as Milan refused to increase their €30m offer for Lille. Furthermore, the chaotic situation with Paolo Maldini and Ricky Massara’s contracts probably played a big hand in the outcome of it all.
Speaking to De Telegraaf, as cited by Chronicle Live, Botman was asked about the interest of Milan and why he chose Newcastle in the end. He made it clear that the Premier League has always been a big dream of his.
“Ultimately, Newcastle United’s great project, in combination with playing in the Premier League, was the deciding factor. That last one has been a dream my whole life. AC Milan also gave me a good feeling, but Newcastle United felt just a little better in the end,” he stated.
