Premier League duo still contemplating January move for £25m Newcastle United man
We are midway through January, and there's still no movement in Newcastle United's first team when it comes to transfers, be that incoming or outgoing.
Whether that remains the case is unlikely, as the Magpies have a couple of players with at least one foot out of the door, and fans would certainly say there's a huge need for incomings too.
Jamaal Lascelles looks to be one player heading for the St James' Park exit this month, but another who is teetering on the edge is midfielder Joe Willock.
Seldom has a player made such an immediate impact as Joe Willock did after his arrival at the Toon, equalling Alan Shearer's record of scoring in consecutive games while on loan from Arsenal. That form earned him a £25 million permanent move, but the box-to-box midfielder has rarely shown that level of quality since.
There was a time when Joe Willock looked destined for an England call up
Willockinho, as Bruno Guimaraes nicknamed him after what was probably his last run of form in 2023, has struggled to stay fit of late, and that has seriously limited his first-team opportunities.
Unfortunately for the 26-year-old, when his chances have come, he's been unable to take them. Two absolutely horrendous misses in as many games against Leeds and Bournemouth have only reinforced everyone's feelings that it's time for him to move on.
Leeds United and Crystal Palace are still thought to be interested in Willock; the former is a surprise given that they got a close-up look at him last week, where he missed an absolute sitter late in the game.
Leeds United just created a space in their squad that could be filled by Joe Willock
Leeds have just moved on Jack Harrison on loan to Fiorentina for the rest of the season, freeing up space in their squad, so they could make a move this month, according to Footballfancast.
The problem is that Newcastle are reportedly seeking £20 million for Willock, which is likely to put off the likes of Leeds and probably any club that's watched him play in the last year.
We feel awful digging out Willock in light of the horrendous abuse he received recently. There's absolutely no room for that kind of behaviour, but we can't sit here and say he's an important member of our current squad because the truth is he's just not good enough anymore. If he could recapture his top form, then we wouldn't even consider selling him, but those days appear to be long gone, unfortunately.
