'They were wrong': Rival clubs actually had big doubts about two Newcastle signings - journalist

By Ben Evans

Newcastle United have every right to be very excited with what’s going on at the club right now.

Sitting in the top four of the Premier League, and now in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.

Journalist Ben Jacobs have also been giving fans the lowdown on Newcastle’s transfer business with January just around the corner.

Under Eddie Howe, Newcastle have barely put a foot wrong in the transfer market.

It’s lifted the Magpies from the bottom three to the top three in the space of 12 months.

The likes of Kieran Trippier and Dan Burn have been revolutionary since arriving on Tyneside.

Not every player they’ve signed has been a guaranteed success though.

Jacobs has said that there were two Newcastle incomings that rival clubs weren’t sure about.

However, he believes that any doubts over Sven Botman and Bruno Guimaraes have already been proven wrong.

The pair have been sensational since arriving at St. James’ Park, and Howe could even look to build his team around them for years to come.

Rivals clubs had doubts over Botman and Guimaraes

Speaking on Steve Wraith’s YouTube channel about the Dutch defender, Jacobs said: “There was that feeling from sources and other clubs looking at him that at Premier League pace he might get pulled out of position a little bit and the maturity would take some time to develop.

“I think that the potential was always there, but it was a case of how quickly it could be unlocked to get him world-class.

“What we found with Botman is he’s slotted straight in. I have to go back to those other people who said it would take more time and say they were wrong!

“This is credit to Newcastle’s recruitment team as the same was said about Bruno Guimaraes as well.

“That he would come in very raw, very hungry, but once again he would need a little bit of time to establish game management.

“Bruno pretty much got thrown straight in and became a cult hero.”

Despite missing out on the Netherlands’ World Cup squad, Botman has been fantastic this season.

Nicknamed the ‘Rolls Royce’ by his teammates, he’s now part of an incredibly settled defence.

Guimaraes is capable of lifting all the players around him, and is the key cog in Newcastle’s midfield.

He only joined the club 12 months ago, but the club are already considering offering him a new contract.

The clubs who had doubts over Botman and Guimaraes must now be really regretting not giving them a chance.