Lille have told Sven Botman that they will not be accepting AC Milan’s offer unless they were to increase it, according to a report.
According to the Northern Echo, Botman has ‘expressed a preference for a move to Milan’ over joining Newcastle United given that the Rossoneri can offer Champions League football next season and have aspirations of winning the league again.
Milan have tabled an offer but it is significantly lower than what Newcastle have put forward, with the Premier League side even having agreed a fee with Lille, so the Ligue 1 side have told Botman he will not be joining Milan unless an improved offer arrived.
Newcastle agreed a fee with an initial sum of around €30m but with €10m in add-ons that would be paid out during the course of Botman’s contract, so the deal would be closer to €40m. Milan have offered €20-25m up front, with the total package worth no more than €30m.
Lille are ‘unwilling to accept Milan’s offer when they have a much more lucrative bid from Newcastle on the table’ but the Magpies are pushing to have the Dutchman in the next fortnight, so he can settle into Eddie Howe’s in preseason.
The French club are keen to get things resolved quickly too, so it remains to be seen who cracks first and whether Lille accept the lower deal, Newcastle switch targets or Milan raise their bid.
