Patience is a virtue as far as Newcastle United's transfer business is concerned.
Meticulous and measured - but attentively persistent - is how Toon chiefs have operated since sending Mike Ashley on his way. Exactly one year ago, Sven Botman emerged as the club’s number one transfer target to shore up a leaky defence.
A precarious league position scuppered the deal but, once the threat of relegation was gone, the Dutchman arrived for £32million. Newcastle staved off interest from AC Milan after refusing to cough up extra cash to get the deal done sooner.
