Joe Willock celebrates after scoring for Newcastle United against Liverpool on the opening weekend of the season (Image: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)
Joe Willock celebrates after scoring for Newcastle United against Liverpool on the opening weekend of the season (Image: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)
BESIKTAS are ready to make another approach for Joe Willock in the January transfer window, leaving Newcastle United with a decision to make over the midfielder.
The Turkish club held talks over a potential £20m deal for Willock, who has entered the final year of his current contract on Tyneside, during the summer window and received strong indications that a transfer would be given the go-ahead by the Newcastle hierarchy.
Had Eddie Howe remained as head coach, there is every chance that the 27-year-old would have been sold, but Matthias Jaissle was impressed with Willock’s performances during pre-season and urged those above him not to sell.
His wishes were granted, and Willock has responded impressively in the early weeks of the season, scoring three goals in seven matches to establish himself as the current first-choice ‘number ten’ behind central striker Yoane Wissa.
However, the interest from Besiktas has not gone away, indeed if anything it has strengthened, with the Super Lig club’s president, Serdal Adali, spelling out his determination to push through a deal for Willock in January.
“There were players we couldn’t sign in the summer,” said Adali. “Our manager wanted Joe Willock from day one, it was, ‘Willock, Willock, Willock’.
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“Nobody knows this, but I brought Willock’s whole family to Istanbul. They even picked out a house, and they had video calls with [manager] Vincenzo Italiano and Onder Ozen, [football director] at least ten times. Furthermore, we went to see the player in person twice.
“He could sign in the mid-season. They asked for £20m. We can sign in January, and I will. Joe Willock was the player the coach wanted but was missing - we really need him.”
If Besiktas return with an offer of anything close to £20m, that will leave Newcastle with a difficult decision to make given that the former Arsenal midfielder is free to sign a pre-contract offer with overseas clubs in January.
There have been suggestions that Newcastle’s ownership group are willing to consider offering Willock a new deal to extend his stay on Tyneside, but as things stand, there has been no new agreement with either the player or his representatives.
That leaves Newcastle in a vulnerable position, with Jaissle clearly a big fan of the player but inevitable questions still existing over the wisdom of offering him a new long-term deal, which would have financial implications in terms of the Magpies’ SCR position.