According to new reports, Lille have told Sven Botman he will NOT be joining AC Milan this summer unless they up their offer ‘significantly’ for the Dutch defender.
This comes from the Northern Echo, who report that the 22-year-old favours a move to the San Siro over St James’ Park after their Serie A title helped secure Champions League football for 2022/23.
The report also names the bids both clubs are believed to have submitted to Lille so far, explaining why Newcastle’s current offer is much more appealing to the Ligue 1 side.
Scott Wilson – The Echo’s Chief Writer – reckons our offer is €30m and features a host of add-ons that could take the final amount to €40m.
AC Milan, however, are said to have offered ‘€20-25m up front’ and add-ons that would would make the total fee no more than €30m, meaning Lille could bank €10m less if they were to go with Milan’s bid.
Who knows if there’s any truth in these figures, but if they’re anywhere near accurate it’s easy to see why this deal is dragging.
It makes you wonder if Botman has been waiting for Milan to up their offer – which appears essential if they want to beat us to a deal – and Lille messing us about in the mean time, with The Telegraph reporting earlier this week that the Ligue 1 side added £6m to their asking price just when the two clubs were ‘close’ to striking a deal.
The Telegraph reckon Botman is ‘keen’ on a move to Tyneside, which could still be the case even if we are second best, but is he interested enough to turn his back on AC Milan? That could be the deciding factor, providing we can agree a fee with Lille.
WE should be sending Botman an ultimatum giving him two days to agree to sign for us or we are moving elsewhere. It’s now becoming ridiculous and quite frankly, boring.
Even if Botman were to sign for us now I think he will be ‘on trial’ with the fans who will take some convincing he really wants to be here. Unlike Guimaraes who was all for the project from day one.
Toonarden(Quote)
We’ve never heard from the player. since Jan, and it appears the issues are with Lille not the player.
I very much doubt we’d still be trying so hard to get him in, if he wasn’t keen on coming here.
Paul Sadler(Quote)
Any player that states he would like to play elsewhere, for example Sissoko and “I want to play for Arsenal” while at NUFC, is not a player that should be signed. Just move on NUFC as we are getting to the point where pickings are getting thin, and we will sign nobody in this window and will start the season with a small ineffectual squad with no proven, fit, striker once again.
LA Toon(Quote)
I have faith in the NUFC recruitment team, if Botman didn’t want to come here they wouldn’t still be chasing him. I think it’s Lille playing games and dragging this out.
Mike H(Quote)