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Sven Botman is back in full training with Newcastle United and is set to return to action next week after nine months out with an ACL injury.
The 24-year-old suffered an ACL injury back in March but is now back training and closing in on a return. Although Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe admitted it was likely that Botman wouldn’t feature for the first team until early 2025, he has been pencilled in to play for the Under-21s next week.
Lewis Miley has been with the Under-21s side in recent matches after a lengthy spell on the sidelines. Kieran Trippier and Matt Targett have also played for The Young Magpies this season to build-up their match fitness.
And Botman is scheduled to do the same before Christmas with next Monday’s Premier League 2 match against Chelsea Under-21s at Whitley Park earmarked as a potential return date for the defender, as per The Athletic. Botman has been involved in 11 v 11 practice matches at the Newcastle training ground in recent weeks though head coach Eddie Howe warned that the centre-back is still ‘a long way off’ starting matches in the Premier League for his side.
"I think it is a long way off at the moment,” he said. “But certainly if and when Sven returns at his best level he will be a brilliant addition to the squad.
"Then it will be up to me to find the right balance in the team. It is not something at the minute that is in my conscience thinking, my conscience thinking is very much the next few games and step by step.”