Francesco Minierio, the agent of Newcastle United defender Sven Botman, this week had a conversation with the Italian media.
The representative was interviewed by Radio Punto Nuovo, and obviously had many comments about the transfer market and the future of his clients.
Botman was one of the subjects. Minierio then recalled the race for his signing in the past few years, and claimed the Newcastle player has already managed to impose himself in English football
“With Milan we were close, even with Atalanta who touched him and then jumped everything due to Covid,” Minierio told Radio Punto Novo (via Calcio Napoli 24).
“He’s a guy I’ve known for ten years, with our agency he immediately proved to be one of the best centre-backs in the world. He is the best defender in the Premier League.”
There was indeed a big race to sign Botman from Lille last summer, with the Italian media giving big coverage to the pursuit from Serie A clubs to purchase the defender. That’s why Newcastle had to spend big on the signing, paying the French side €37m for his move.
The good thing for the Magpies is that the 23-year-old didn’t need time to adapt to English football and soon became a fundamental piece in Eddie Howe’s side. The centre-back has 26 appearances for Newcastle this season, and Italian clubs can only imagine how well he could have been doing in Serie A by now.
