The midfielder has opened up on leaving Arsenal in 2021 as he returns to his boyhood club on Saturday night
04:00, 25 Apr 2026
Joe Willock of Arsenal celebrates scoring their 2nd goal during the UEFA Europa League Group B stage match between Arsenal FC and Dundalk FC at Emirates Stadium on October 29, 2020 in London, United Kingdom.
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Joe Willock will return to north London this weekend(Image: Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
Joe Willock "gave his life" to Arsenal but left for Newcastle after feeling underappreciated in north London.
The midfielder will come face-to-face with his boyhood club on Saturday evening when the Magpies make the trip to London for a fiercely contested Premier League fixture. Arsenal are locked in a battle for their first top-flight title since 2003, while Newcastle are desperately seeking points to haul themselves into the upper half of the table.
Willock has featured 35 times in black and white this season, contributing one goal and two assists across more than 1,300 minutes of football. The midfielder departed north London in 2021, putting pen to paper on a six-year deal at Newcastle for a transfer fee of £25million.
Prior to his move, Willock had spent his entire career at Arsenal, racking up 78 appearances and netting 11 goals. Despite this, the 26-year-old chose to step outside his comfort zone at the Emirates Stadium upon recognising that he wouldn't be a regular fixture in Mikel Arteta's plans.
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Speaking to The Telegraph in 2023, Willock admitted he felt a sense of unease upon returning to Arsenal following his loan spell with the Magpies. He said: "I remember that summer going back to Arsenal and I didn't know what to do.
Joe Willock of Arsenal celebrates scoring a goal game during the Carabao Cup Third Round match between Arsenal FC and Nottingham Forest at Emirates Stadium on September 24, 2019 in London, England.
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The midfielder spent his youth at Arsenal(Image: Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)
"I'd enjoyed the loan, but to make it permanent was a big call. I wasn't sure I wanted to leave Arsenal. I probably thought I was going to go back and things would be the same. I'd be working to break into the first team again, and everything would be familiar and comfortable."
However, Willock felt the warmth from the Newcastle faithful and the apparent lack of interest from Arsenal, which played a significant role in shaping his choice. He added: "When the talk of a permanent move started, I wasn't sure, you know.
"The fans probably made that decision easier, but also Steve Bruce. He really fought to bring me here; he was great for me. We had loads of conversations on the phone that summer. I wasn't valued at Arsenal, that became clear. When I had a meeting with them, it was obvious they wanted me to go.
"Yeah, it hurt. I would probably have drifted for another year had I stayed. I'd been there since I was four-and-a-half years old. I'd given my life to Arsenal. At that meeting it just felt like my time was up. I didn't feel valued anymore and that was it, I was going to sign for Newcastle after that."
Joe Willock of Newcastle United celebrates after scoring their sides third goal, missing from the penalty spot but scoring the rebound during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Manchester City at St. James Park on May 14, 2021 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
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Now Willock is at Newcastle(Image: Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Reflecting on the powerful emotions he experienced, Willock said: "At the time, it was overwhelming. Leaving London, leaving Arsenal and coming into the unknown really, it was hard but it was the right time.
"I'd never been this far north before, I'd never visited Newcastle. I was also joining a team that was fighting relegation. It was all new to me. It was a tough experience, because I'd been so sheltered at Arsenal. But it was also an amazing one."
Willock believes he truly has found a home in the north east. He said: "To experience a totally different dressing room environment, under a different manager, playing with real pressure on your shoulders because we were in that relegation battle, it was the making of me. I had been so protected at Arsenal.
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"I was a young kid coming through the age groups, then a young player trying to break into the first team. Even when I played in the first team it was like, 'oh he's just a young kid.' There was nothing like the same pressure there.
"I wouldn't say it was easy, but it wasn't as competitive as playing for Newcastle. I came here and I was expected to be one of the main players to get us out of trouble."
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