Coach easing new defender in slowly
EDDIE Howe will take his time to integrate £35 million man Sven Botman into his plans this summer.
The Dutchman watched on from the sidelines as Newcastle United defeated Gateshead 5-1 at the club’s Benton base in a behind-closeddoors friendly. Howe took the opportunity to look at defender Kell Watts, who played the full 90 minutes, as well as senior men Jamaal Lascelles and Dan Burn.
Botman is likely to start the Premier League season against Nottingham Forest on the left-hand side of Howe’s defence and it is a question of who will partner him with Fabian Schar favourite as things stand.
Howe’s side jetted off to Austria on Sunday for a 10-day training camp and has spoken to NUFC TV about Botman’s status.
After leaving out Botman, Nick Pope and Schar against Gateshead, Howe said: “I think with those lads we didn’t want to push them too quickly.
“We wanted to give them a little bit more time because they’ve had reduced training time. Just being careful but just making sure that, if we can, keep the majority of the squad fit.”
Watts impressed in last season’s preseason schedule at centre-back before being loaned to Wigan where he won promotion to the Championship.
After a previous loan at Plymouth – where he was also a hit
– he now has over 100 senior appearances under his belt.
Now 22, he has been handed the chance to impress Howe after signing a new two-year extension earlier this year. Meanwhile, Newcastle target Armando Broja ( right) is set to join up with Chelsea for their pre-season tour of the United States.
A loan deal is still feasible but Blues head coach Thomas Tuchel wants to take a closer look at the forward this summer and until then no decision will be made on his destination for the 2022/23 season.
Broja, who spent last term on loan at Southampton, was not in the initial squad list for the tour.
A Chelsea statement read: “Armando Broja will look to join up with the squad next week.”
A passport issue is believed to have held up the 20-yearold’s link up with the Blues.
We wanted to give them a little bit more time because they’ve had reduced training time. Eddie Howe