---
title: "Newcastle: Steve Bruce’s side in the frame for Sven Botman"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/newcastle-steve-bruces-side-in-the-frame-for-sven-botman/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "David Comerford"
section: "Newcastle United"
published: "2021-08-03T06:40:34Z"
modified: "2021-08-03T06:40:34Z"
---

# Newcastle: Steve Bruce’s side in the frame for Sven Botman

**French newspaper L’Equipe has named Newcastle United as one of the clubs interested in Lille centre-back Sven Botman (via [Sport Witness](https://sportwitness.co.uk/4-premier-league-clubs-picture-potential-signing-delusional-offer-beyond-e50m-needed/)).**

### The lowdown

Botman only moved to Lille last summer, joining from Ajax for a fee of [£7.2million](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/sven-botman/profil/spieler/361093).

He [started all but one Ligue 1 match](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/379732/Show/Sven-Botman) last season, helping Lille end Paris Saint-Germain’s run of three consecutive French titles.

Botman averaged 3.2 successful aerial duels (ranking him in the [league’s top 10](https://www.whoscored.com/Regions/74/Tournaments/22/Seasons/8185/Stages/18594/PlayerStatistics/France-Ligue-1-2020-2021)), 3.2 clearances, 1.5 interceptions and 3.8 accurate long balls per 90 minutes (via [WhoScored](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/379732/Show/Sven-Botman)).

Lille are in financial trouble, with one source going as far as to label them ‘skint’ (via [The Athletic](https://theathletic.com/2695742/2021/07/09/whos-signing-camavinga-aouar-and-doku-the-ligue-1-exodus-being-driven-by-a-financial-crisis/)).

### The latest

The report says that Lille would rather sell others to address their need for cash, and have slapped a price tag of more than €50million (£42.8million) on Botman’s head.

Newcastle are identified as one of Premier League suitors, alongside champions Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United.

### The verdict

It wouldn’t be a surprise, given their situation, if Lille lessened their demands in the remaining weeks of the window.

But let’s remember that Newcastle aren’t in a strong position either. Amid uncertainty over the club’s ownership, their budget has been described as [‘meagre’](https://theathletic.co.uk/2735877/2021/07/29/how-newcastles-transfer-budget-works/), so the Toon will need Lille to get pretty desperate here.

Perhaps the only way this deal would be realistic would be if there was a huge cash influx on Tyneside through the lucrative sale of a player like Allan Saint-Maximin.

Newcastle could theoretically look to put the healthy proceeds towards two or three players, with Botman, hailed as a [“leader” by former manager Christophe Galtier,](https://www.ligue1.com/Articles/LIGUE-1-SHOW/2020/10/03/sven-botman-lille-s-dutch-knight-rises-fonte-galtier-losc) perhaps one of them.

**In other news, [Luke Edwards dropped this worrying claim on ASM](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/newcastle-united-transfer-rumours/allan-saint-maximin-luke-edwards/).**