There can be no doubt that Botman is the future in Toon
BUT WHAT WILL THAT MEAN FOR THE OTHER CENTRE-BACKS ON TYNESIDE?
NO one is safe at Newcastle United and Sven Botman’s big-money move from Lille is a fresh reminder of that as the Magpies’ defence and the dressing room as a whole are shaken up once more.
Newcastle will soon have six senior centre-backs on their books and that does not include the versatile Paul Dummett and Emil Krafth, who can also slot in at the heart of defence.
There may be a twist to come but it is hard to see Federico Fernandez playing another competitive game for the club while Ciaran Clark was left off the squad for the second half of last season.
These former internationals have served Newcastle well over the years but if the black-and-whites are to progress, Howe has to be ruthless and effectively replace players who were starters a year ago. That leaky backline Howe inherited was the team’s weakness, after all.
However, after a two-window overhaul, Newcastle’s defence has now become a real strength following the arrival of goalkeeper
Nick Pope and defenders Kieran Trippier, Matt Targett, Botman and Dan Burn. Newcastle still need to bring in more firepower this summer – Callum Wilson was out on his own as the club’s top scorer last season despite a lengthy spell on the sidelines – but the Magpies will climb the table by keeping clean sheets, too.
Just who will line up in the heart of the defence against Nottingham Forest on the opening day of the season remains to be seen.
Botman will arrive as the club’s most expensive centreback of all-time, of course, but the Dutchman is still young at 22 and has never previously played in the Premier League.
Like Bruno Guimaraes, another import from the French league, Botman will naturally need an adjustment period to get used to the pace of the top-flight and what Howe calls ‘end-to-end transitions’.
However, in saying that, there can be no doubt that Botman is the future, a standard bearer who can give this backline a new dimension with his passing ability, and that is before you even address his defensive qualities.
An added bonus for Howe is that Botman’s arrival also increases the competition for places and the new arrival’s teammates will inevitably raise their game. Dan Burn will not just want to be viewed as a player who merely filled a gap for a few months after Lille refused to sell Botman in January while Schar needs regular game time ahead of the World Cup.
As for Lascelles, well, the club captain is selfless enough to continue to push those around him at the training ground but he will want to play, too.
This was once a stale department, where certain
untouchables could play their way out of a poor run of form during a previous era, but that is no longer the case under Howe in any area of the field.
The fact Bruno, a Brazil international, had to wait for his chance last season because Jonjo Shelvey, Joelinton and Joe Willock were playing so well tells you that.
At this rate, players who were starters last season may now find themselves named among the substitutes while those who previously made cameos from the bench might not even make the 25-man squad – let alone the match day squad.
Newcastle still need to trim a bloated group, after all, and there are question marks surrounding the futures of Karl Darlow, Mark Gillespie, Javier Manquillo, Jamal Lewis, Federico Fernandez, Ciaran Clark, Matt Ritchie, Jeff Hendrick and Dwight Gayle.
It shows how much the club has changed since the takeover that this nonet were safe in the knowledge that their places in the squad were as good as secure a year ago. That is no longer the case.