Sven Botman names the first Newcastle player to contact him after £35m move

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After signing for Newcastle United during the summer transfer window, Sven Botman was quickly contacted by one of his new teammates.

Unsurprisingly, it was Kieran Trippier.

The Dutch defender has appeared on BBC’s MOTDx, and was asked which Newcastle player got in touch with him first after his move from Lille.

Botman’s £35million transfer to St James’ Park was initially announced on June 28th, then he officially became a Magpie on July 1st.

And soon after his arrival was confirmed, he received a message from Toon defender Trippier.

Trippier the first player to contact Botman at Newcastle

Botman was asked about his football firsts by MOTDx, with the host wanting to know which Newcastle player got in touch with him first once the deal was done.

“Trippier – he DM’d me…’welcome to the club’,” he said.

“It’s always nice because after that I was put in a group chat and everybody’s like ‘welcome, welcome’.”

No surprises it was Trippier

Is it really a surprise that Trippier was the first Newcastle player to get in touch with Botman? It’s further evidence of how much of a leader he is for the Magpies.

The 32-year-old wears the captain’s armband when Jamaal Lascelles doesn’t play, and has established himself as a key figure at St James’ Park.

Trippier isn’t just here for a quick payday. He’s here to make a difference and help the club grow. The right-back has played an important role in helping his teammates improve, and Botman’s comments show that he is helping new players integrate too.

While there were some calls from fans for Trippier to replace Lascelles as permanent captain, it’s great to have so many leaders in the group. Trippier doesn’t need an armband to command respect, nor does he need to be named captain to be a vocal presence in the dressing room.

Botman will no doubt have appreciated Trippier’s welcome to Tyneside, and the messages from other Toon players quickly followed. The 22-year-old appears to be settling in well at Newcastle, and should prove to be an excellent addition.