Sven Botman opens up on 'insane' Newcastle move as he reveals four wishes before training starts

Sven Botman has admitted that the last couple of days have been 'insane' after the highly-rated defender put pen to paper on a five-year contract with Newcastle United.

Newcastle have agreed a deal in principle with Lille to sign the Dutchman, who passed a medical on Monday, and the formalities of the transfer will now be concluded before the week is out. Botman will then officially become a Newcastle player after already carrying out his in-house media duties and posing for photographs pitchside at St James' Park with the black and white shirt.

Having cut his holiday short to travel to Tyneside, Botman has returned to Spain for some further time off after only finishing up playing with the Netherlands' under-21s on June 11. Eddie Howe will welcome back the majority of his squad to Newcastle's training ground today for the first day of pre-season, but the Magpies' head coach wants to ensure his internationals, like Botman, have a proper break after a particularly long season.

It won't be long until Botman meets his new team-mates, though, and Kieran Trippier and Allan Saint-Maximin have been among those to reach out during an eventful week.

"Hectic. Insane actually," Botman told De Telegraaf about the last 48 hours. "I have earned my air miles again.

"My transfer from Heerenveen to Lille was a nice step, but you can tell from everything that this is a mega deal.

“A lot is coming at me. Although that is partly my own fault because I want everything - from the house to car and from a bank account to an English phone number - to be arranged before the training sessions start.”