AC MILAN have held discussions with Lille over a summer move for Sven Botman, and are confident of landing the centre-half ahead of Newcastle United.

Newcastle made a number of approaches for Botman in the January transfer window, but were unable to complete a deal for the 22-year-old despite tabling a bid worth around £30m.

Amanda Staveley has confirmed Botman was keen to move to Tyneside, and strongly hinted that the Magpies will attempt to resurrect their interest in the Dutchman in the summer, provided they hold on to their Premier League status this season.

However, AC Milan are also keen to sign Botman in the summer, and have held preliminary discussions with Lille officials and the defender’s representatives in an attempt to lay the foundations for a deal before the transfer window officially reopens.

Italian media sources claim Milan have indicated a willingness to pay around €30m for Botman, who is contracted to Lille to the summer of 2025, and have agreed an outline deal of around €2.5m-a-year in wages for the centre-half.

Milan expect defender Alessio Romagnoli to leave when his contract expires in the summer, and view Botman as an ideal replacement. Given they are currently level on points with Napoli at the top of the Serie A table, Milan will almost certainly be able to offer Champions League football next season, and will hope to once again challenge for the Italian title.

Tottenham have also been linked with a summer move for Botman, with Antonio Conte understood to have flagged up the defender’s likely availability in discussions with his club’s recruitment team.

The widening interest will be a blow to Newcastle, although Staveley clearly harbours continued hopes of signing a player who was involved in a series of discussions in January.

“Some (players) desperately wanted to come to us, like Sven, who still does very much and has talked very openly about that,” said the Magpies co-owner.

Having signed five senior players in January, Newcastle are expected to have another busy transfer window in the summer, with a number of Portuguese media outlets having suggested that the club is scouting Sporting Lisbon midfielder Joao Palhinha.

Palinha, a 26-year-old Portugal international, can play in a number of different midfield positions, and is set to be available this summer for £20m plus performance-related add-ons.

Meanwhile, Newcastle’s Under-23s have been drawn away to Fulham in the last 16 of the Premier League Cup.