Sven Botman gets reported Newcastle United return date after nine months out with ACL injury

Newcastle United desperately need some good news right now as the cloud of negativity looms large over the heads of the Toon Army.

Eddie Howe has a lot of fingers pointed towards him right now as the team have just two wins in the last eleven games and the performances have flipped between leaky defence and blunt attack.

The lack of player investment in the last two windows is really coming back to haunt us. You could say that FFP is really doing its job by throttling the life out of any possible competition for the Big Six. Oh, sorry, FFP is supposed to protect those outside the Big Six who can't fund themselves, isn't it? Funny then, how we have all the money in the world but can't bring in players that instantly improve the side.

I digress. We may not be able to buy any quality players, but we have Sven Botman edging ever closer to a return which is a massive boost to the side.

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Sven Botman has a return date pencilled in for Newcastle U21s

We've always hated the "it's like a new signing" rhetoric when a player returns from injury, but in Botman's case it might actually ring true. He's been missing for nine months and we've sorely missed a player of his quality at the back.

Thankfully, it seems we won't have to wait too much longer to see him in black and white. The Athletic have reported that Botman is due to turn out for the Under 21s on 16th as they take on Chelsea.

This will be a huge step towards his eventual return to Eddie Howe's first-team.

Sven Botman's return could be harsh on Dan Burn

We have to remember that it'll take Botman a while to get anywhere near the form she showed in his first season at St James' Park, but hopefully, just having his name on the team sheet again will be enough to boost the squad.

The problem is, it has been Dan Burn who has been the rock at the back lately with his last-ditch saves. Fabian Schar is regressing and starting to look like a £3 million signing again, so what happens with Burn when Botman returns?

The squad imbalance raises its ugly head yet again.