Eddie Howe faces some key transfer decision at Newcastle Unitedplaceholder image
Eddie Howe faces some key transfer decision at Newcastle United | AFP via Getty Images
A long-serving Newcastle United star was the subject of late January interest. Could a summer move be on the cards?
To be a top club, at times you have to be ruthless — and that’s perhaps something Eddie Howe will need to consider this summer as he prepares to oversee the next stage of Newcastle United’s evolution.
Howe has taken Newcastle a long way since arriving in November 2021 at a time when the team were winless after 11 matches, five points from safety and devoid of any kind of confidence. He kept the club in the Premier League in comprehensive fashion, stunned the world to finish fourth and reach a cup final in his first full season, took a slight step back by finishing seventh a year later, before last season leading the club back into Europe’s elite competition, while significantly, leading the club to a first domestic honour.
Joe Willock has been one of the players that’s been around to witness that entire journey, with his arguably his best individual campaign coming in the 2022/23 season when he regularly featured alongside the likes of Bruno Guimaraes and Sean Longstaff, with Joelinton playing slightly ahead of the trio on the left-wing. But are his days numbered on Tyneside? And could the summer be the right time to sell?
Joe Willock is an unsung hero in Newcastle’s recent rise
However, it’s worth noting that Newcastle could have very easily ended up in the Championship a year before the takeover was set to happen in 2021/22. Willock joined the Magpies on an initial six month loan from Arsenal in February 2021, arriving at a team that were 17th in the table and massively short on confidence. He inspired them to safety by scoring seven times in a row, equalling Alan Shearer’s record which was set in 1996.
Without his goals in a crucial phase of the season, it’s very possible that Mike Ashley could still be owner, with the club bouncing regularly between the Championship and Premier League.
Overall, Willock played a combined 167 matches, including 153 since his move became permanent for £20m in the summer of 2021. But he’s only started 21 league matches over the course of the last three seasons due to injury difficulties.
Willock could be a target for Fulham in the summer
The outlet claimed that Willock was open to the opportunity to return to west London for further game time despite not pushing for a move. However, the Magpies dismissed it due to their limited options in midfield amid an avalanche of injuries.
This was a good call from Newcastle, who are paper thin on options. Particularly when bearing in mind that it was Willock, who popped up with a key goal against PSG in Europe, along with an equally important assist against Tottenham in a 2-1 win, which consigned Thomas Frank to the sack. However, if the offer is on the table again in the summer from Fulham or another top-flight outfit, it may well be worth revisiting for Newcastle, especially with the 26-year-old being in the final year of his contract.
When everyone is fit and in full flow, Willock is likely to be behind the likes of Guimaraes, Joelinton, Tonali, Miley and big-summer signing Ramsey at this moment in time. Willock is a player renowned for his athleticism and ball-carrying ability. However, Newcastle could put some of the funds raised by his sale towards signing a more natural No.10 that can support Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa to try and make the pair of underperforming strikers feel less isolated in attack.
Woltemade at Stuttgart benefited from a partnership with Deniz Undav playing as a second striker which created additional space for the German to influence the game. While Wissa relied heavily on Bryan Mbeumo’s pace and creativity at Brentford with the pair sharing a telepathic connection at times on the pitch.
That type of creative presence is something the Magpies miss at the moment - and something they could look to benefit from in the summer, particularly if they try and transition into a more possession-based outfit that can control patterns of the game which is often needed at times when there’s a demanding workload.
Willock is on form at the moment and could still turn things round, but as things stand a summer move seems the most suitable course of action.
Continue Reading