Newcastle plotting talks with ‘man mountain’ after deal agreed
Newcastle are plotting contract talks with one of Eddie Howe’s regular starters as well as Sandro Tonali now they agreed terms with Ross Wilson.
Off-field events at Newcastle dominated the headlines over the summer, and while the focus has now shifted with the season well underway, there are still some pressing concerns behind the scenes.
Sandro Tonali has been linked with a move to Juventus in the face of uncertainty around his contract situation, while Newcastle also want to extend Tino Livramento’s deal after he was linked to Man City ahead of the new campaign.
Newcastle have appointed Ross Wilson as their new sporting director after agreeing a compensation deal with Nottingham Forest, and he will now have those fresh deals at the top of his list of priorities.
One other player in particular who is very highly-rated by Eddie Howe could also pen fresh terms following a new development.
Sven Botman in line for a new Newcastle contract
Sven Botman has been a key man at the back for Newcastle ever since he joined from Lille in 2022, but has struggled with injuries on occasion, with 84 appearances for the club up to now.
The centre-back’s contract on Tyneside is set to expire in 2027, and according to a report from iNews, Botman is in line for a new deal now that Wilson has joined as sporting director.
Newcastle have reportedly held off on opening contract talks with their stars until a new man was in place to oversee them, and they intend to reward Botman, as well as Tonali and Livramento, for their part in helping the club’s progression in recent seasons.
Eddie Howe is a big fan of Botman and will be happy if he stays
Botman is one of the finest defenders in the Premier League on his day, but Newcastle fans will want to see a lot more of him this season after he was out for nine months with an ACL tear in 2024 and missed 13 games towards the end of last season with knee issues.
The 25-year-old has avoided injury since April and has made eight appearances so far this season, but was overlooked for international duty with the Netherlands once again this month as he continues to wait for his maiden senior cap.
Newcastle boss Howe was dumbfounded at his exclusion as he praised him a recent interview, saying: “The caps will come if Sven continues to play in the manner he has the last few weeks, and I’m sure that is something he is thinking about. He’s been very good and this is the best we’ve seen of Sven since his injury.
| Appearances (starts) | 5 (4) |
| Duels won per 90 | 4.25 |
| Aerial duels won per 90 | 3.19 |
| Aerial duels won % | 70.6% |
| Interceptions per 90 | 1.33 |
| Blocks per 90 | 1.33 |
| Recoveries per 90 | 5.58 |
“When we lost him, I was really down about that. We’d lost an outstanding player, character, person, but distributor of the ball too. Short range, long range, he brought the other side of the pitch into play a lot when we were under pressure.
“He’s a man mountain. He’s a physical beast, which in this league, you need. Sven can hopefully still improve and get back to his very, very highest levels because there’s not many I’d look to swap him with if he’s at his best.”
Howe has made it clear how he feels about the 25-year-old, and the onus is now on the board and new man Wilson to get him tied down before he enters the final 18 months of his contract.