In a recent interview with Dutch news outlet Algemeen Dagblad, LOSC Lille defender Sven Botman offered an update on his future amid interest from Wolverhampton Wanderers on the transfer deadline day. Botman said,
“No, [I’m not disappointed], I’m too happy at Lille for that.
“I play at the top of French football, the Champions League is about to start.
“That’s good for me too. Sometimes opportunities come along you might want to go for. I’m in no rush but I was open to a move.”
Botman’s Impressive Form At Stade Pierre Mauroy Last Season
Botman had an incredible campaign in French football last season when he helped Lille clinch the Ligue 1 title by just one point on the final day of the season. The Dutch defensive ace made 47 appearances for the French outfit in the previous campaign, picking up one assist and five yellow cards across all competitions.
The Badhoevedorp-born talent gave a good account of himself on the defensive end of the field as he averaged 0.8 tackles, 1.5 interceptions and 3.2 clearances per 90 minutes in the 2020-21 Ligue 1 season. He even distributed the ball with conviction after completing 86.5% of his attempted passes in the French top tier (stats via whoscored).
Should Wolves Go Back In For Botman In January?
Botman has proven his worth as a solid defender at the back as he can read the danger quickly to secure the ball back for his side. He has made a habit of pulling off a few important clearances for his team on the defensive end of the pitch. The ex-Ajax centre-half also doesn’t mind putting his body on the line to block a goal-bound shot from the opposition.
The Dutch talent is proficient at playing his way out from the back and hardly gives away the ball cheaply inside his half. Hence, he would have been a great fit for Bruno Lage’s style of play at the Molineux Stadium.
At 21, Botman would have been an ideal acquisition for Wolves in the long run as he has the potential to become a world-class player in his position someday. Now that the Lille youngster has admitted that he was open to a move last summer, the West Midlands outfit should consider going back in for him when the transfer window reopens in January.
Botman is good enough to be a regular starter at the Molineux and would undoubtedly add a lot of quality to the Wolves backline. Therefore, Lage should think about testing Lille’s resolve by making an approach to land the player this winter.
