Sven Botman and Hugo Ekitike delays explained as Newcastle line up 4 potential alternatives

The Mail’s Craig Hope has issued a frustrating update on Newcastle’s attempts to sign Sven Botman and Hugo Ekitike, explaining why both moves are continuing to drag.

On Botman, he claims that Lille now want €40m (£34.5m) – a few million more than the £30m deal we felt we’d agreed – insisting that the issue is with the club, not the player himself amid claims he is pushing for a move to AC Milan instead.

As for Ekitike, Hope states that a deal between Reims and Newcastle has been ‘agreed’, however it looks like his agent is delaying the move after receiving interest from Borussia Dortmund.

It seems that, as things stand, we are more hopeful there’ll be movement on Ekitike soon than on Botman, but it looks like alternatives are also being considered.

Hope names Sassuolo striker Gianluca Scamacca as a player Newcastle ‘like’ – although it’s thought he may prefer to stay in Italy – while Chelsea’s Armando Broja is another player of interest.

When it comes to a potential plan B at the back, Nathan Ake (Man City) and Lloyld Kelly (Bournemouth) are also mentioned, yet it’s thought the former is currently deemed too expensive and the latter ‘unlikely.’

It seems the club’s preference is to tie up deals for Botman and Ekitike – two players we’ve been trying to sign for six months now – however we can’t wait forever.