NEWCASTLE United’s latest signing Sven Botman has linked up with the first-team squad for pre-season at the club’s Darsley Park training. 

The Dutchman recently completed a long awaited switch from Lille last week for a reported £39 million signing a five-year deal on Tyneside. 

Botman, who reported for the training today, was joined by fellow late arrivals Nick Pope, who joined the club from recently relegated Burnley earlier in the summer, and Bruno Guimaraes. Both Pope and Bruno had been on international duty with England and Brazil respectively. 

The promising defender will be looking to get up to speed with his new team mates along with the pace and physicality of the English game. Speaking last week, Botman said: “In Holland, it’s good for yourself because they give a lot of young people the chance to show themselves but I think you can compare the French league more to the Premier League. 

“It’s more physical but I think the Premier League is physical but faster. I have to see it myself but that’s what I hear a lot and see on television.”

The 22-year-old centre back will face competition for a place in Newcastle’s defence next season from Dan Burn, Fabian Schar and Jamaal Lascelles when the Premier League kicks off on Saturday 6th August. 

Newcastle will host Nottingham Forest at St James Park on the opening day of the season. Eddie Howe and his squad are due to travel to Austria next week for two friendly games against German sides 1860 Munich and Mainz which will kick off their pre-season run of games.

Meanwhile, the Magpies have signed 17-year-old centre back Charlie MacArthur from Scottish side Kilmarnock.

The promising young defender, who has made four first-team appearances in his career, was attracting interest from a host of Premier League clubs but decided to make the switch to Tyneside. 

He will link up with the club’s Under-18’s squad for the forthcoming season.