With Lille playing hardball over center-back Sven Botman, alternative targets are starting to do the rounds. Yesterday, Freiburg’s Nico Schlotterbeck was mentioned as a potential target.
The German has a bright future at just 22-years-old and shares some similar qualities to Botman. He is entering the final 18 months of his contract unlike the Dutchman, who is tied down until 2025.
The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath has added another name into the mix in Sevilla’s Diego Carlos. Though at 28, he doesn’t possess the future potential that makes Botman and Schlotterbeck so enticing.
Carlos is right-footed, and with Newcastle reportedly coveting a left-footer like Botman and Schlotterbeck, he is not exactly a like-for-like alternative. Though he has attributes that would instantly improve Newcastle’s backline
Being Brazilian, Carlos is very capable on the ball. He is considered an outstanding, if sometimes rash, defender, and is very good in the air. Though not to the extent of the younger duo. He has also been linked with the likes of Liverpool, Real Madrid, and Barcelona in the recent past.
Carlos joined Sevilla from Ligue 1’s Nantes in the summer of 2019 for £13.5m. His current price tag would be around £30m making him a more expensive option than someone like Matthias Ginter, who has just six months left on his contract with Borussia Monchengladbach.
Luke Edwards, earlier today, reported that Newcastle prefer at least one of the two center-backs they hope to bring in have some Premier League experience. He named Arsenal’s Rob Holding, Bournemouth’s Lloyd Kelly, Burnley’s James Tarkowski, Everton’s Mason Holgate, Liverpool’s Nat Phillips, and Tottenham’s Joe Rodon as being on the extensive list of targets.
Newcastle likely haven’t thrown in the towel on Botman just yet. Though the aim is to bring in defenders early in the window with Kieran Trippier inching ever closer to becoming a Magpie. So we’ll see if this link to Carlos continues to bubble away or if it is fleeting like so many others.
140 comments so far
ToonDarnSarf
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:10 PM
Comment #81catchy – I’ve had little niggles with a few people on this blog but there are only 2 who really get my goat and it’s mostly because they never know when to drop a topic and/or they keep bringing it up again. We can all disagree but there’s a point when things just become unpleasant. Easy solution is that I rarely engage with them…and I’m actually a little disappointed with myself when I get dragged into it!
catchy in norway
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:10 PM
Comment #82Dyslexic dog.
Another day, got to drop my daughter off
IrishRob
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:11 PM
Comment #83I also get the feeling it would open the door and free up wages for Arsnal to sign Dusan. Whereas we’d have a great chance of signing him if we are still in the premier league next August.
WLtoon
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:13 PM
Comment #84Botman to Milan ?
https://sempremilan.com/botman-reject-newcastle-want-milan
cleveleysbob
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:13 PM
Comment #85Aruba, was Auba when I typed it, hey ho! 😉
JP...from The Rock
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:14 PM
Comment #86Irishrob – as much as I wanted him in yhe pst he’s not the player he used to be but is still a handful on his day. Having said that his wage, his bad attitude and age ate all against him and then when you add the AFCON into the mix it would be a rather stupid signing if I am honest.
cleveleysbob
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:15 PM
Comment #87WL, a Milan based outfit, bound to say that, aren’t they! Could be right of course, but last I heard, Milan hadn’t made an offer anyway. 🙂
ToonDarnSarf
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:16 PM
Comment #88PEA was a great player but as far as him moving to us goes, it depends what his motivations are. I’m not convinced…
The Dyslexic God
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:16 PM
Comment #89WLToon
“The Dutchman does not want to fight relegation and wants an ambitious club that aims to win” plus Milan cannot afford to pay the fee . I would not rule him out yet!
IrishRob
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:16 PM
Comment #90It’s bs Mark. Milan won’t pay what we even offered, they’re looking for a loan and Lille won’t even cons6a loan mid season. He’s either coming to us in Jan for a hefty fee or he’s staying put.
It’s also reported in the Independent that Botman actually does want to come to Newcastle.
lesh
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:16 PM
Comment #91TDS, Ruddy, Cleveleysbob
Ferrari Torres, recently signed by Barca (reportedly €55m with a €1bn buyout clause *gulp*) said to have said
“I am facing this challenge with ambition, humility and a lot of desire…….
‘I am ambitious player and I like a challenge. I want to take Barça [NUFC] back to where it belongs.”
Now that’s the sort of attitude we need from potential NUFC signings
Adamn_92
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:17 PM
Comment #92I think even on loan PEA would be a weird move. Potentially wouldn’t be available until February and i’m not sure his heart would be in it. Seems to have attitude problems/disciplinary problems, I would be surprised if Howe would want to bring those attributes into the dressing room of a team that needs to turn things around. He hasn’t looked that great the last 2 seasons and seems to be getting worse. We’re seeing improvements in the current set up we are playing in which has Wilson as lone striker or ASM when Wilson is out. Would PEA be that great playing that role? Not good at holding the ball up like Wilson and not got that killer pace anymore like ASM. Would we change our set up completely and have to re-adapt to a new set up again?
It’d be a very odd move. Would make more sense to loan a younger striker, can buy them outright at the end if they do well and can build with us. Or buy a younger target outright who is on the up and not on the slide.
lesh
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:19 PM
Comment #93cleveleysbob
Could it be that some of your NY dinner family’s family have had a quiet word with Botman?
🙂
sparky55
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:19 PM
Comment #94I don’t get the Tarkowski switching off thing…If I was player in my last 6 months of a contract, and essentially putting myself in the window in an attempt to secure my last big contract…I wouldn’t be playing as sh!te as he is!
I really don’t rate the man…the mistakes he’s made so far this season have cost his team dearly…and having less points than Burnley that’s something we can’t afford right now!
we can attract better even in our lowly league position.
Onwards and upwards
Sheikh rattle and bank-roll
IrishRob
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:19 PM
Comment #95Jp I wouldn’t complain if we did, but it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me either. He literally has been poor for over a year and a half.
Wages to me just don’t make much sense, he’d be handy to have but at those wages it seems silly.
cleveleysbob
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:20 PM
Comment #96Lesh I agree. It’s a shame he’s turned up there with a positive “test” to go with the attitude, so he’s in isolation while Barca try to get 2 or 3 players off their books to be allowed to play him. 😉
Mund
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:20 PM
Comment #97TDS
Disappointed in yourself?
Where you disappointed in yourself when you brought another posters mother into it and in a vile way?
You reap what you sow lad
Mund
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:21 PM
Comment #98Adam
I don’t think PEA will end up here but if he did the AFCON wouldn’t be to much of a problem as Gabon wont get very far and he would miss a couple of weeks at the most.
I’d have him but I’d rather better
cleveleysbob
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:22 PM
Comment #99Lesh @ #92, No, they were based much further South than Milan, although I did visit that City with a couple of the Family once. Exhibition visit. 😀
SholaShow
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:22 PM
Comment #100Thinking about that Azmoun again and I just realised Mehrdad is British-Iranian.
Maybe Azmoun’s nationality might not be an obstacle, but then it’s one thing to have a low-profile business partner and another to have a star ST playing for your team.
Who knows.
He would be ideal imo. Great finisher, nimble, quick and alert, good movement. His qualities belie the fact he’s 6ft 1 and still pretty handy in the air.
If we could get him for less the circa £5m being spoken about, that would be fantastic business.
I like him, regardless of price, much more than many of the other targets mentioned.
ST seems to be the position causing the most angst because it’s critical for our chances we get it right and there’s a lot of damaged goods in that market at the moment.
WLtoon
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:23 PM
Comment #101You just don`t know what to believe, apart from the Trippier links, i think most of it is just speculation, though i did read Botman was interested in coming here, but again, that could be just hearsay.
Only 3 weeks to wait and we will know just what was BS and what wasn`t.
The Dyslexic God
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:23 PM
Comment #102Barca General Manager “we are back as a major player in the market” Yet Euro 1Billion in debt and had to take a bank loan to fund him. Plus, need to sell to get wage cap down before they can play him! Madness
IrishRob
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:24 PM
Comment #103Sparky up until their last match they had the 6th best defensive record in the pl. He is by far and away their best defender and singlehandedly keeping a poor Burnley team in contention for premier league football next season.
I dont think you’re giving him enough credit tbf.
Mund
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:24 PM
Comment #104Cambridge is a sell out
ToonDarnSarf
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:24 PM
Comment #105lesh – Agreed! Though it’s easy to say that when joining Barcelona with its world class history, massive fanbase, amazing facilities, loads of trophies etc.
Definitely hoping that kind of project can be sold to the players to come here too.
cleveleysbob
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:25 PM
Comment #106Sparky @ #94. I agree he wouldn’t be my 1st or 2nd choice, but I’m trying to keep my optimism in check 😉
Mund
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:25 PM
Comment #107IrishRob
Is he better than what we have?
I don’t think he is
sparky55
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:25 PM
Comment #108As I’ve said on numerous occasions, I really don’t care how much we pay in loan fees, how much we pay in wages, how much we pay to buy players, how much we pay in “stay-up” bonus’…SO LONG AS WE STAY UP…because that’s all that matters.
Once we’ve stayed up, we go to the next part of the plan which may well include ditching every single player we purchased in this January window.
It’s about building an empire…not building a team for today.
Romford mag
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:25 PM
Comment #109#27
I like green
You want some !! 🙂
The Dyslexic God
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:28 PM
Comment #110Cost of being relegated vs staying up. Basically backing Sparky’s post
The announcement in late 2012 of a new TV rights deal for the Premier League confirmed just how much it means to be part of the action from next season.
The £5 billion contract to televise Premier League games domestically and around the world will see the 20 top-flight clubs get more money than ever before.
Even if your side gets relegated at the end of the 2013-14 season, it will still pick up around £60 million.
To put that into context, that is what Manchester City got for winning the title in 2011-12. Wolverhampton Wanderers finished bottom last season and still went away with nearly £40 million.
Added to that is the prize money, which, last season, was around £750,000 per place.
To soften the financial blow of going down, each relegated team receives “parachute” payments. At the moment, that figure is £48 million over four years, with £16 million paid out in the first two years and £8 million in the following two (providing a club is not promoted).
Even if your side bounces back at the first attempt, that is still a shortfall of at least around £45 million.
sparky55
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:28 PM
Comment #111Irish…maybe I am…I’m just going off what I’ve seen on MOTD this season…he’s not been great…he’s defo been at fault for the last three Burnley results…and so the punters said!
Onwards and upwards
Sheikh rattle and bank-roll
ITUNDERASHELL
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:29 PM
Comment #112catchy in norway
Jan 4, 2022 at 2:55 PM
Comment #54
I noticed your interest in food and its consumption and thought this might be of interest. It’s highly controversial of course, and not fit for purpose on a footie blog, so say nowt mate!
https://econexus.info/files/Agropoly_Econexus_BerneDeclaration.pdf
JP...from The Rock
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:29 PM
Comment #113La Liga Santander is corrupt just like the Spanish Government. It’s a joke they’re actually allowed to sign anyone being in that much debt! Football is not a fair game at all with the ‘big’ clubs taking the piss and the lesser clubs having no quarter whatsoever.
TheTinman
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:30 PM
Comment #114Obviously something has happened between him and Arsenal. That might have been effecting his performances. Also been played on LW a lot over the last couple of years which doesn’t suit him.
Fairly low risk even paying his wages and a fee. We currently have 0 decent strikers as Wilson is injured.
I’d prefer to bring in somebody younger with less attitude risk etc. But only the club knows how likely a signing like that is.
cleveleysbob
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:30 PM
Comment #115It’s Wednesday tomorrow, no real significance, but I’d like to see some evidence of someone “on the way” for a medical.
That way, I could expect some (note the plural) signings finalised before the weekend.
Am I expecting too much? It won’t be long before the Watford game is just around the corner!
The Dyslexic God
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:31 PM
Comment #116JP not to mention that Barca and RM get about 80% of the tv money between them
IrishRob
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:31 PM
Comment #117Tarkowski is light years ahead of what we have. I can’t believe what I’m reading here genuinely.
Would I prefer other options yes but I think he’d be an astute signing for 15M or 20M. I’d prefer Tarkowski over Umteti any day, if I thought I’d be saying that 4 years ago I’d have called myself mad but he’s fallen off a cliff to.
Botman and Cody would be great singings, but Tarkowski would be astute for the price.
ToonDarnSarf
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:31 PM
Comment #118ITUNDERASHELL – Personally I don’t think that article is controversial at all but it could be for some other people.
Seems pretty obvious and correct to me. But it’s also over 8 years old so definitely out of date.
Mund
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:32 PM
Comment #119Light years???
Rob
No mate just no
The Dyslexic God
Jan 4, 2022 at 3:32 PM
Comment #120Bob, I was about to post that we need the defenders /CM in by end of week as that will then give us a week to integrate them. Strikers do what they like!