Rumoured Crystal Palace transfer target Sven Botman is wanted by Newcastle United in the January transfer window, according to the reliable David Ornstein.
The Lowdown: Botman a target for Palace
Back in the summer, the Eagles (Sky Sports) showed a keen interest in signing the Lille centre-back but he ended up staying put in France.
2020/21 title-winner Botman has continued to be a key man for the Ligue 1 champions, making 10 league starts and appearing twice in the Champions League this season.
Wolves have recently been showing an interest in him, too, as Premier League clubs seemingly all circle for his signature.
The Latest: Fierce competition for Eagles
On Monday, The Athletic's Ornstein confirmed that Newcastle are now eyeing up a January move for Botman, who has been described as 'incredible' by Ligue 1 journalist Robin Bairner.
Lille are desperate to hold onto the Netherlands international, preferring to lose him in the summer if he has to go.
The Verdict: Magpies the likely destination?
Newcastle's recent takeover has seen them acquire unrivalled levels of wealth, which arguably puts them in pole position to snap up Botman.
The money that the Magpies may be able to promise the 21-year-old could blow Palace out of the water, meaning Patrick Vieira could well have to look at other options.
Should a move to Selhurst Park still appeal to Botman, however, he could be welcomed with open arms, considering he has averaged 3.5 and 4.7 clearances per game in the Champions League and Ligue 1 this season, respectively.
Joel Ward (3.3) has the highest tally for Palace in the Premier League in 2021/22, highlighting the impact Botman could potentially have as the third option in the heart of defence alongside the promising partnership of Marc Guehi and Joachim Andersen.
In other news, some Palace fans slammed one player's performance against Manchester United. Find out who it is here.