Milan remain the front-runners in the race to sign sought-after Lille defender Sven Botman despite growing interest from the Premier League. As per recent reports in France, the LOSC centre-back is close to penning a long-term contract at the San Siro amid speculation about his potential move to England.
Negotiations between Milan and Lille are well underway. The parties kick-started talks in January, though the Ligue 1 giants were reluctant to give up their first-team star to leave the club midway through the season. Yet, Les Dogues have reconciled with losing Botman in the summer.
The 22-year-old has an affordable €30m price tag pinned on his head. Given today’s market deals, Botman is available for a fair price, which makes him one of the most in-demand young centre-backs in European football.
After Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, newly-rich Newcastle United have joined the race to acquire his signature. However, Milan remain in pole position, as the player has his heart set on moving to Serie A in the summer.
Unlike Man United and Newcastle, Milan will feature in next season’s Champions League. Tottenham should be up there with the Rossoneri after pulling off a late push to pip fierce north London rivals to a fourth-place finish in the Premier League.
However, Spurs boss Antonio Conte would rather go for broke to land his former Inter pupil Alessandro Bastoni. The Italian manager’s desire to reunite with the Nerazzurri rearguard may clear the way for Milan.
The runaway Serie A leaders are searching for a long-term replacement for Simon Kjaer. The Dane has endured an injury-hit season and Paolo Maldini is keen to provide head coach Stefano Pioli with another sustainable option at the back next season.
Botman ticks all the boxes for the type of player Milan are looking to recruit. He is super talented and has ample room for improvement, while he will likely offer a substantial resale value in the future.