Newcastle 'more likely' to sign £50m star than Botman at St James' Park | OneFootball

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GiveMeSport

·22 June 2022

Newcastle 'more likely' to sign £50m star than Botman at St James' Park

Article image:Newcastle 'more likely' to sign £50m star than Botman at St James' Park

Newcastle United target Nathan Ake is ‘more likely’ to arrive at the club this summer than Sven Botman, according to journalist Dean Jones.

Centre-back is believed to be a position of priority for manager Eddie Howe yet bringing in additional reinforcements is proving to be a difficult task at this moment in time.


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What is the latest news involving Newcastle?

Back in January, Newcastle saw a bid turned down by LOSC Lille for Botman before they revived their interest in the 22-year-old following the conclusion of 2021/22.

However, reliable reporter Craig Hope recently revealed that the Magpies ‘remain stuck’ in their negotiations for the Netherlands Under-21 international.

Due to the impasse in talks between Newcastle and Lille over Botman, it seems as though the North East outfit have sensibly kept their options open regarding alternative targets.

Article image:Newcastle 'more likely' to sign £50m star than Botman at St James' Park

TalkSPORT’s Alex Crook has previously claimed that Nathan Ake has been informed by Manchester City that he can leave the club this summer after struggling for game time.

It’s believed that Howe enquired about Ake in the winter window and remains a ‘big admirer’ of the 27-year-old following their time together at Bournemouth.

What has Jones said about Ake?

Jones believes that although Botman to Newcastle has ‘been touted for a long time’, the speculation surrounding Ake is something to be taken ‘quite seriously’.

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He told GiveMeSport: “Obviously, he’s been touted for a long time, but there’s never really been a likelihood he comes.

“I think that actually, one of the more likely names is Nathan Ake. Even though right now he’s been talked about and linked with other clubs, I would take Ake to Newcastle actually quite seriously.”

Is Ake a realistic target?

Ake has claimed two Premier League titles and a League Cup crown during his two-year spell with City but has failed to cement a place in the starting XI in that time, making just 40 appearances.

The Sun disclosed at the start of the month that Pep Guardiola’s charges have placed a £50 million price tag on the central defender, while he admitted he ‘felt good’ last term after playing more matches.

But Ake still only started 10 Premier League fixtures throughout 2021/22, and now he must decide which direction he wants his career to go, with Chelsea also said to be keen on re-signing him.

At Newcastle, the 5 foot 11 ace would virtually be guaranteed to be one of the first names on the team sheet for a side battling to join football’s elite.

On the other hand, he could be a fringe player in one of the most talented squads in world football challenging for major honours year in, year out at City.

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