Botman was at the top of Newcastle’s transfer wish list in the recently concluded winter transfer window, while Serie A giants AC Milan were also on his tail.
Both the Magpies and the Rossoneri made several bids to try to snare away the centre-back from French champions Lille, who stood firm on holding on to him, with Eddie Howe’s side ultimately settling on signing Dan Burn from Brighton & Hove Albion.
Newcastle could go back in for Botman in the summer, having entered the January window wanting two centre-backs.
And Botman’s agent Bruinenberg has revealed the 22-year-old is keen on taking the next step in his career in the summer by moving to another club.
Bruinenberg stressed that the defender is a player that likes to chart his own path in football and acknowledged that Newcastle along with AC Milan are very nice clubs.
“The great thing about Sven is that he is a boy who makes his own choices and charts his own path”, Bruinenberg told Dutch magazine Voetbal International.
“After his spell at SC Heerenveen, he could have taken his chance to return to Ajax, because he had just extended there.
“Instead, he decided to go to Lille and embark on an adventure there.
“In hindsight, that sounds very logical, but you have to take dare as a young player.
“That way of thinking will continue to guide him in the future.
“He is ready for a step higher in the summer, AC Milan and Newcastle United are very nice clubs.”
Newcastle spent around £90m in player recruitment in January, an amount which could have been higher if they managed to snap up Botman, and it remains to be seen whether they will return for him next summer, provided they maintain their Premier League status this season.
