Joe Willock has been an important player for Newcastle United, however, Arsenal doesn’t plan on parting ways with him. Currently, on loan at the Magpies, Arsenal have put up a tag that is difficult for Newcastle to pursue. Willock’s current form has helped his team survive in the Premier League.
Joining the youth system of Arsenal at the age of 4, Joe has dedicated his life to the Gunners. After spending time developing at the club, he got his first-team promotion in 2017. It was in the EFL Cup that he made his debut.
He continued developing and in 2018 he earned his Premier League debut. His first goal came in November the same year in a fixture in the Europa League. Joe Willock had been impressive for a player his age. Because of his improving displays, he soon earned a new long-term contract.
Till the end of 2020, he went on to play 78 times for Arsenal in which he scored 11 times. His best season as a Gunner came in the 2019-20 season where he featured 44 times. Willock has earned his international right too, but he is yet to make the senior squad appearance. He has played for England U-19s, U20s, and the U21s.
After the successful duration at Arsenal, he was loaned out to Newcastle United in January. The club were going through a rough patch at that time and Mikel Arteta didn’t want the youngster to be left out while he bought experienced players to the squad to get some positive result.
It was a great decision by the boss as Joe Willock has been flourishing there. After joining then at the start of February, he has scored 6 goals in 12 matches, with 5 goals coming in his last 5 appearances.
£30 million tag put by Arsenal for Joe Willock
Arsenal will appreciate every single penny they get as they are in for a summer overhaul. Things were looking promising for them when Arteta took over last year. They finished a decent 5th last season and even won the FA Cup. They started the new season on a similar note by winning the Community Shield.
However, things turned quickly. Arsenal found themselves in an awkward position. They were compared to the bottom teams that had the possibility of getting relegated. Although they were keeping their Europa League form great, this was a worrying sign.
Thankfully a mid-season boost removed them of that fear. But they still had work to do. And they faltered yet again. To add to their misery, their only hopes for a European spot next season were shattered by their ex-boss, Unai Emery’s side, Villarreal as they dumped them out in the Europa League semi-final.
When things were looking gloomy, a ray of hope has emerged thanks to the other teams. Arsenal currently sits 9th in the League. Everton’s end of the season collapse has given them one more spot to jump. However, for them to go further to 6th, they must pray that Tottenham and West Ham lose as they sit 3 points clear.
It has been confirmed that Arsenal are going to have a squad overhaul, which means that many players will be leaving. Steve Bruce has admitted that he wants Joe the next season. However, Arsenal will not let him go cheap. They have put a price tag of £30 million for the 21-year-old midfielder.
Moreover, his departure also depends on another factor. Martin Odegaard who is on loan has been impressive. Arsenal are negotiating to make the deal permanent. If that fails to happen, they won’t be parting ways with their academy product.
