Newcastle United latest news: Newcastle United rejected a possible deadline day exit for one of their key men.
The 2025 summer window concluded with Newcastle United spending north of £120m on new strikers, whilst also seeing one of their key players in Alexander Isak leave the club. It can be argued that the Magpies ended the summer with a stronger squad than they began it.
Players were added in all areas of the squad that needed bolstered, whilst they were able to keep hold of all their key players - save for Isak who had made his intentions to leave St James’ Park clear throughout the summer. Matches come thick and fast for Newcastle United following the international break and they will need to use the full amount of their squad to successfully navigate domestic and european matches.
Newcastle United decline deadline day transfer
With such importance now being placed on the whole squad to contribute to their successes in all competitions, it is unsurprising, therefore, that Newcastle United rejected a late approach from Bayer Leverkusen for Sven Botman during the summer window. Leverkusen parted company with Erik ten Hag and saw defender Piero Hincapie move to Arsenal in the final throws of the summer transfer window.
According to Kicker, Leverkusen had plotted an ambitious move for Botman as a replacement for Hincapie once his move to the Emirates Stadium was confirmed. The report indicates that Leverkusen were ‘denied access’ to Botman as they searched for possible alternatives.
Instead, the Bundesliga side opted not to sign anyone and will head into the season with Loic Bade, former Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah and one-time reported Magpies target Edmond Tapsoba as their centre-back options. Leverkusen will, of course, host Newcastle United on Wednesday 10 December in the Champions League league phase at the BayArena.
Sven Botman injury news
Botman, meanwhile, will be keen to feature for the Magpies during their Champions League campaign having struggled greatly with injuries during their last campaign in the competition. Botman played just once during the 2023/24 group stage, featuring for 90 minutes in their opening game at the San Siro against AC Milan before succumbing to a knee injury that plagued him throughout the campaign.
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The Dutchman has struggled with injury ever since that time but there is hope that he has finally come through those issues and can regain his place in Howe’s first-team. However, to do that, he will have to displace Dan Burn in the starting XI.
Burn has been one of Newcastle’s most consistent players in recent years and has made that left centre-back role his own this calendar year. Botman did start at Elland Road last time out, but that was as part of a back five and Howe, whilst happy to experiment with his system, is likely to revert to a four-man defence against Wolves this weekend.
Botman was withdrawn from the Elland Road pitch early during that goalless draw with Leeds United, but his head coach revealed at full-time that was to help with a formation change, rather than because of an injury as first feared.
“He’s okay,” Howe said about Botman. “I think it was time in the game for us to change [system], to try and find a way to win the game and score. That was the intention of the substitution.”
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