Arsenal have agreed a fee with Newcastle United to sell midfielder Joe Willock as per David Ornstein of The Athletic.
The Englishman was sent on loan to Tyneside after he found opportunities at the Emirates to be limited. This proved to be a masterstroke by the Magpies as the 21-year-old ended up being one of the best players in the league during his spell. His goals were a key reason behind Newcastle staying in the Premier League.
Ornstein posted an exclusive update on his Twitter account about Willock:
“Exclusive: Newcastle have agreed a fee with Arsenal to sign Joe Willock on a permanent basis. Personal terms still need to be finalised so deal not yet done. Price would be in excess of £20m for the 21y England youth midfielder.”
This was confirmed by Chris Wheatley who mentioned that the Gunners had included a sell-on clause in the deal. He tweeted:
“Arsenal and Newcastle have reached an agreement over the permanent transfer of Joe Willock. Story first reported by @David_Ornstein and final fee expected to be in the region of £25m (including add-ons and a sell-on clause).”
Arsenal Fever View
The fee might seem a little less compared to some of the moves that have been happening. But given that the Magpies were one of the only clubs interested in signing the midfielder, it makes a lot of sense.
Willock’s value is the highest it has ever been in his career, and this was the right time for the Gunners to let go of him. Though it is a bit sad to lose a player who has been at the club for a long time, it gives them funds to be utilised for other transfers.
A move for James Maddison has been rumoured to happen for some time now and this deal could help in achieving that. Newcastle are getting one of the best young players in the league and they will be happy to have the Englishman back.
It seems that Arsenal are still quite active in the transfer market and this sale could lead to more players coming in. Willock is a great talent, but this was the right move for the 21-year-old given how well he settled in Tyneside.
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