Newcastle United got another win and another clean sheet yesterday to anchor themselves in the top four, and the impact of Sven Botman has been crucial in that.
TMW recall how Botman arrived in the summer and was able to quickly establish himself as a pillar in the Magpies’ defence, one that is the best in the league with only 11 goals conceded in 24 games, of which he has played 19.
Things could have been very different for the Dutchman, though. At the end of last season Milan had strongly set their sights on signing him from Lille, and there was a mutual interest too given the huge smile he displayed when asked about the rumours back in June.
However, Lille did not back down to any kind of pressure from the player or Milan as they were firmly set on collecting the most money they could, with the Rossoneri unable to match the almost €40m they managed to get from Newcastle.
Milan changed their strategies, preferring to spend certain amounts on other profiles, such as Charles De Ketelaere. The Belgian continues to struggle to adapt to Italy while Botman could hardly be shining more in the Premier League.
