Newcastle United have been working to bring in some new weapons this month to help the club survive and succeed down the stretch. Now, on transfer deadline day, they have added a player that could be a huge boost in the middle of the park.
According to Ian Dennis, midfielder Joe Willock’s loan move from Arsenal to Newcastle is a done deal. The 21-year-old has made seven Premier League appearances this season for the Gunners. In the Europa League, he has tallied three goals and three assists in five matches (four starts).
The London native is able to change the complexion of a match with his ability to play the passing lanes for interceptions and then spark the attacking group going forward. Whether he’s gliding past defenders with his speed and skill on the ball or firing a pass over the top or through to a forward, Willock’s able to turn defense into offense in the blink of an eye.
The current group of Newcastle United midfielders, outside of Willock, are expected to compete defensively and cycle the ball around with their passing. Other than Jonjo Shelvey, there’s not even a lot of line-breaking passes from the midfield to create chances for the forwards. That style of play lacks energy and relies on the wingers, full-backs, and forwards to spark almost all of the attacking moves.
For the Magpies, Willock should be able to create more offense from the midfield with his aggressiveness and ability. While he may not be a lock in the starting XI every match, there’s no reason that he shouldn’t be consistently a first-choice option in the midfield for the rest of the season and beyond, potentially.