Eddie Howe expecting £35m 'brilliant addition' to Newcastle United in January

Botman has been out since March with an ACL injury, having suffered a similar issue earlier in the 2023-24 campaign. While the Dutch defender is back in full training and playing 11-a-side practice matches, Howe played down the chances of a return in the coming weeks with an early 2025 return looking likely.

"I think it is a long way off at the moment,” he said. “But certainly if and when Sven returns at his best level he will be a brilliant addition to the squad.

"Then it will be up to me to find the right balance in the team. It is not something at the minute that is in my conscience thinking, my conscience thinking is very much the next few games and step by step.”

Botman formed part of a Newcastle defence that boasted the lowest number of goals conceded in the Premier League during his debut season in England. But Howe’s side have struggled defensively in the 24-year-old’s absence.

"Sven was a massive player for us and I don't think you can underestimate how much we've missed his certain qualities that he brought to us,” Howe added. “His technical ability in our build-up, he had a beautiful switch of play that brought Kieran [Trippier] into play in our Champions League qualification season.

"We had a great dynamic on that side of the pitch, a lot of the time through Sven's distribution so I think we have really missed it. He is a great lad as well, he is really popular in the dressing room as well so he has got a lot of key attributes we have missed."