At what point would Eddie Howe like his players to tone it down a notch this January? Alexander Isak’s winner against Tottenham was his ninth goal in eight games as that £100m price tag looks ever more justified.
Strengthening Newcastle’s hand is the stark reality of the Premier League’s Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR), with few clubs actually boasting the headroom required to sign the Swedish international – however quickly he is reinforcing his side’s Champions League credentials.
Howe knows that restrictive feeling all too well, admitting after his side’s sixth victory in a row that it is more a question of “what we can do” rather than what he would like to do over the course of the January window.
Chief among his targets is another centre-back – a long-standing aim since the failed pursuit of Marc Guehi last summer – but the return of Sven Botman could not have been more timely.
This was his first appearance since March following his ACL rupture and after a shaky opening 20 minutes in which he allowed Dominic Solanke to peel away from him for Spurs’ opener, his numbers were impressive: eight duels won, five clearances, four tackles, two interceptions.
He later made a pivotal block to stop a separate Solanke effort before Martin Dubravka dealt with Pape Matar Sarr’s strike.
Had Fabian Schar not been suspended after picking up his fifth booking of the season against Manchester United, it is unlikely Botman would have been given the nod from the start.
But Schar will also miss the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final against Arsenal with another ban, Emil Krafth is not yet ready after a broken collarbone and Jamaal Lascelles is not back from his own ligament injury suffered last April.
That means the Dutchman could be at the heart of the defence again in midweek despite having to go off towards the end of Saturday afternoon. Fortunately, it was nothing more serious than cramp.
Botman’s numbers vs Spurs
- 52 touches
- 8 duels won
- 5 clearances
- 4 tackles
- 3 aerial duels won
- 3x possession won
- 2 interceptions
Via Squawka
There was always a fear that he would rush back too early, but Howe was adamant “he had done the work” and had been “very dedicated to his recovery”.
The 24-year-old has been back in training for six weeks and his display was particularly impressive given he was playing on the right of the centre-back partnership as a left-footer.
There is also the contract situation to consider – Schar, Lascelles and Krafth are all on deals expiring in the summer and since 1 January have been free to speak to clubs overseas. Schar may be 33 and there is still some optimism he will stay, but Botman’s importance to the group has been underlined by that uncertainty elsewhere.
Howe is right to reiterate that the “most important people” are the players already at the club. Lloyd Kelly’s arrival from Bournemouth on a free transfer last summer might not have been the big-money move that was hoped for but given the injury list, Howe will be relieved to have him available as another alternative, having replaced Botman in the final stages.
On Paul Mitchell’s watch Newcastle’s plan is to target younger talent from outside of the Premier League, though they face serious competition from the likes of Manchester City for Lens defender Abdukodir Khusanov.
The hope is that such a strategy will not only avoid any more sagas like the Guehi chase, which ultimately fell through with Crystal Palace being unwilling to budge on asking price. Ideally it will also allow Newcastle to navigate a precarious PSR tightrope more consistently and with fewer scares of falling into the red zone.
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