TOON TIE UP A DUTCH OF CLASS AT THE BACK IN BOTMAN

NEWCASTLE have moved closer to landing their top transfer target Sven Botman from under the noses of AC Milan.

Lille have accepted the Toon’s offer for the Dutch Under-21 defender, ending a six-month chase. Newcastle are paying about £36million for the 22-year-old.

Sources in Milan claim Newcastle have beaten the Serie A champions to agree a deal with the French club. Botman (right) was a target for manager Eddie Howe in January and he expressed his wish to keep the deal alive.

But in recent weeks he has been tempted by Milan’s interest.

Lille have told him they need to sell to Newcastle and to get the deal done and he will now hold talks to agree personal terms.

Earlier this week, Newcastle signed keeper Nick Pope from Burnley and the latest deal will take their summer spending to £63m.

They have also joined the race to sign VfB Stuttgart striker Sasa Kalajdzic. The beanpole Austria star, 24, is already a target of Tottenham and West Ham.

But having apparently missed out on French youngster Hugo Ekitike and decided Everton’s £50m valuation of Dominic Calvert-Lewin is too high, the Magpies have switched their sights to Kalajdzic.

He is in the last year of his contract at Stuttgart which means they are prepared to cash in on him this summer for around £25m.

Newcastle have other options including Nice forward Amine Gouiri and Armando Broja who has returned to parent club Chelsea after a loan spell at Southampton.