Eddie Howe will not rush Newcastle鈥檚 star summer signing Botman

Newcastle United's English head coach Eddie Howe plays with ball during the English Premier League football match between Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest. (AFP)
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  • Dutch center-half likely to start on the bench again with Dan Burn facing former club Brighton at the Amex Stadium

NEWCASTLE: Star summer signing Sven Botman鈥檚 Newcastle United development will not be rushed, insists head coach Eddie Howe.

The Netherlands youth international has so far been the Magpies鈥� stand-out signing of the summer, having arrived on a $36-million deal from Lille on July 1.

Howe, though, opted not to hand the 22-year-old his full debut on the opening day against Nottingham Forest, instead retaining his central defensive partnership from last season, Dan Burn and Fabian Schar.

Ajax academy graduate Botman did get his first taste of Premier League action off the bench, however, as a 90th-minute sub.

鈥淭he more training time we can get into Sven, the better,鈥� Howe said.

鈥淏ut every situation is very unique. You can never blueprint because that changes within seconds sometimes.

鈥淭he more training, the more he gets to understand how we want him to play and his teammates around him will serve him very well.

鈥淚鈥檝e been very pleased with him in pre-season. Him not playing (against Forest) wasn鈥檛 a reflection on his performances, he鈥檚 been excellent.

鈥淎s I said after the game, it was about keeping continuity in our backline that performed very well during the back end of last season.

鈥淪ven鈥檚 got a huge part to play.鈥�

The Magpies head to Brighton and Hove Albion today, looking to make it two top-flight wins out of two.

They face a side, though, who recorded their first win at Old Trafford against Manchester United, and who have one of the most respected managers in the English game, Graham Potter.

鈥淏righton are a very unique team. When you play them, you have a huge challenge on your hands,鈥� Howe said.

鈥淭actically, I think they鈥檙e excellent 鈥� Graham (Potter) has done an amazing job there and it鈥檚 well documented how innovative and forward-thinking he is.

鈥淲atching the game against Manchester United was a really interesting one from a tactical viewpoint so we鈥檙e going to be challenged.

鈥淓very game is different in the Premier League but this one is a big challenge and we鈥檙e going to need to respond to it. It鈥檚 very different to Nottingham Forest 鈥� we鈥檙e away but we have prepared for Brighton and hope we can impose our style on them.鈥�

One of Newcastle鈥檚 stand-out players from last term started 2021/22 as a Seagulls鈥� player.

Center-half Burn was a revelation for Howe after making the January switch north 鈥� and the head coach is expecting more of the same at the Amex Stadium this afternoon.

He said: 鈥淒an鈥檚 an incredible professional. He鈥檚 been outstanding for us since he signed for the football club.

鈥淚 know it will be a big day for him and probably an emotional day in some ways, going back to a club that he鈥檚 performed very well at and consistently performing at a high level.

鈥淚鈥檓 sure he鈥檒l get a good reception and welcome for everything he gave Brighton.

鈥淗e has been a real presence in the training ground and a very calming influence. He鈥檚 got good experiences in the game and has never had it easy.

鈥淗e鈥檚 had to graft to get into the position he鈥檚 in now and he鈥檚 not prepared to let that go easily. He鈥檚 very popular in the dressing room and the lads look up to him.鈥�