News
Some great news on Sven Botman.
The Dutch defender has been a massive loss to this Newcastle United squad, having been out since March this year after surgery on his knee.
The long wait could now soon be over though
With Chris Waugh [reporting](https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5976043/2024/12/09/newcastle-enter-a-crucial-period-of-their-season-and-must-start-delivering/) on Sven Botman for The Atheltic, saying ‘Sven Botman is pencilled in to play for the Under-21s against Chelsea at Whitley Park on Monday, December 16, with the centre-back on course for a first-team return over the festive period.’
Here’s hoping that all goes according to plan, as Sven Botman has got real star quality.
In his first (2022/23) Newcastle United season, no Premier League team conceded less than the NUFC total of 33 goals.
Indeed, in the 36 (35 starts and one appearance off the bench) of the 38 PL matches that Sven Botman played in, Newcastle conceded just 30 goals.
An injury-impacted 2023/24 season saw the left-footed defender not at his best on a consistent basis, able to make just 15 Premier League starts.
A month ago the NUFC Head Coach had this to say about Sven Botman.
**Eddie Howe on long-term injured Sven Botman – 8 November 2024:**
_“We hope that Sven can begin light training in the next few weeks._
_“If we see him before the end of the year that would be a bonus._
_“We are probably though looking at more like January.”_
It sounds as though Sven Botman is at least on schedule, as things stand. Botman has indeed been able to now join in with full training in recent weeks and obviously the important thing, is getting him back in the best shape possible, then managing his return to give the least possible risk of any setbacks.