Eddie Howe names Newcastle United player who has 'all the tools' to be the best

That’s the view of Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe after working with Botman, signed from Lille for £35million in the summer, for the past few months.

Howe’s defence is the best in the league so far this season – and Botman has played a big role in that.

However, Howe left Botman out of his starting XI for a fixture against Bournemouth in September, and the 22-year-old responded by withdrawing from Holland's Under-21 squad to “focus” on his club career.

Botman returned to the team at the start of last month – and he hasn’t looked back.

And how was asked about the importance of the work done during that international break ahead of fourth-placed Newcastle’s game against Southampton at the St Mary’s Stadium this afternoon.

“The (international week) has been overestimated,” said United's head coach. “We work with all our players, not just for Sven. Defensively, we work a lot on our way of defending, and it’s difficult to do that on an individual basis.

"It’s done as a group format. He formed part of that group, and when there are fewer players, you can get more detail into the individual, and Sven’s attitude to that work was excellent. Since he has come back into that team, I think he has been very good.

"On the ball, he’s outstanding. Technically, he’s very high level, and can play short and long passes. He has all the tools.

"He’s got an understanding very quickly, and picked up the pace of the Premier League very quickly, the physicality, and he’s an integral part (of the team).”

Botman has been compared to 31-year-old Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk.

Asked about comparisons between Botman and his Dutch countryman, Howe said: “I wouldn’t be here saying Sven can’t do anything. That would be wrong of me. He has the tools to be as good as any other centre half talked about in Premier League history.”

Botman is in Louis van Gaal’s provisional 39-man World Cup squad for the tournament in Qatar, which kicks off later this month.