Sven Botman is hoping for a late Holland World Cup call-up - after Eddie Howe insisted he can become a Premier League defensive great.
The Toon star is the next Virgil Van Dijk, signed for £32m in the summer from under the noses of Milan, and leading Newcastle to be the meanest defence in the Premier League. The 22-year-old has made 13 appearances for Newcastle and has not tasted defeat yet.
In those games the left sided stopper has been part of a team who’ve conceded just nine goals and racked up six clean sheets. And Howe has insisted he can be as good as any stopper who has played in the league. Botman’s strong arm defending and impressive cross-field passes have seen the youngster confirm his place as one of Europe’s top young defensive talents under the guidance of Howe.
