Is Jetro Willems the real deal or is he another Kenedy?

Eintracht Frankfurt loanee Jetro Willems is hoping to avoid the same fate as his predecessor from Chelsea, Kenedy. So far, Willems is on the right path.

Newcastle United were linked with a move for Jetro Willems for years, but they finally pushed a deal through this summer. Willems is on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt, and Newcastle United have the option to buy Willems at the end of his loan spell. According to a recent report, Eintracht Frankfurt are only seeking £11m for Willems.

The Magpies have had their ups and down with loanees in the past, but the most disappointing loan move of them all has to be Kenedy. The young Brazilian spent two seasons on Tyneside as a loanee from Chelsea. The winger, who also played as a wing-back, generated optimism with his performances during the 2017-18 campaign, but he looked distracted last season and found himself sitting on the bench for most games.

In total, Kenedy made 38 appearances for Newcastle United in two seasons, but had a minimal impact with a mere three goals and three assists to his name. The fact that Chelsea had him overpriced at £30m made it an even easier decision for the Toon to move on. The key question to ask here, though, is whether or not Willems can avoid the same fate? In my opinion, he can.

Willems’ Current Form and Role

Willems has been one of the most consistent and reliable players on the pitch for Steve Bruce this season. He has made some errors while defending, but he has been phenomenal for the club offensively. Willems has played in eight matches this season and he has already scored a goal and completed two assists.

His goals and assists have come against Liverpool, Manchester United and West Ham United, and this is great for the Magpies because it shows that they landed a player who can provide a meaningful contribution against quality opponents. Kenedy was the opposite of Willems in this regard as he only performed at an elite level against other bottom-half opposition.

Upon making his move to Newcastle United, Willems said his primary objective is earn a call from the Dutch national team through his performances for Newcastle United. Well, if he keeps this form going I think Willems will have a permanent home on Tyneside in a few months and will be traveling to the Netherlands for most international breaks.