Newcastle United defender Sven Botman has been spotted in the gym while on holiday as he sets his sights on a full 2025/26 return.
It’s fair to say it’s not been the two seasons anyone connected to Sven Botman would have hoped for.
The classy Dutchman has missed a lot more games than he’s played - or played fit - across the the whole of the Premier League seasons in 2023/24 and 2024/25. It has been a frustrating period for the former Lille man, who took the top flight by storm with his hulking frame and silky left peg when he arrived from France. That first season he formed a remarkable defensive wall with Nick Pope behind him and Fabian Schar, Dan Burn and Kieran Trippier either side.
But it’s just not quite clicked for him since with a variety of knee injuries, one of which eventually required surgery has sidelined him. The latest injury, so soon after a return had many wondering about the player’s durability after such a long layoff, but those fears appear to have been allayed by his availability for the final few games of the campaign - and also his latest social media activity.
Botman has taken to Instagram to show his followers just how much he wants to reclaim his spot back at the heart of the United defence - and that his knees, both of which have been injured in the last 24 months, can take the weight of expectation.
Newcastle United defender Sven Botman puts in the hard work in the gym, even though the season is finished. The centre-half has spent much of the last two Premier League seasons sidelined.Newcastle United defender Sven Botman puts in the hard work in the gym, even though the season is finished. The centre-half has spent much of the last two Premier League seasons sidelined.
Newcastle United defender Sven Botman puts in the hard work in the gym, even though the season is finished. The centre-half has spent much of the last two Premier League seasons sidelined. | Instagram
To a recent story, in between holidays with his other half, Chana Kesselaar, child and dog, Botman showed himself training on a bench lifting weights. He also showed himself doing some drills at squat rack. The first image was tagged with a time, just after 10pm in the evening, with the word ‘nightshifts’ accompanying it.
Sven Botman injury
In total, Botman has missed 59 games for the Magpies since signing in the summer of 2022, according to Transfermarkt. A minor injury early on saw him sidelined for two games, but since then it’s been knee issues that have kept him out for the other 57.
Botman was out from September 28 to December 15 of the 2023/24 campaign with a knee complaint. it was deemed he didn’t need surgery, having actually played with the injury on the club’s return to the Champions League in the San Siro v AC Milan, then again at the weekend, scoring v Sheffield United. In totaly, he missed 79 days and 16 games.
The problem then resurfaced in March, as he went under the knife, which kept him unavailable for 296 days and 28 games up until December 13 last year. But again by February 5 he was absent again, this time the other knee causing issues. It is listed on Transfermarkt as a ‘broken kneecap’ but that was never confirmed in any way, shape or form by the football club. Botman missed six games and 30 days. He then, after returning again missed a further 7 games and 48 days with another knee issue at the back end of the season.
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