Arsenal loanee Joe Willock drops hint on Newcastle future

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Arsenal midfielder Joe Willock has hinted that he could be open to staying at Newcastle United beyond the end of his loan spell – in comments reported by The Sun.

Willock has made a very promising start to life on Tyneside. The 21-year-old has already made six starts for the Magpies, scoring on his debut against Southampton in February.

He has been a positive addition for Steve Bruce’s side. But of course, there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding Newcastle’s situation.

They are currently just above the bottom three in the Premier League. And they have not won any of their last five games in the top flight.

Nevertheless, when asked about his future, Willock left the door open for a further deal.

“I love playing for Newcastle,” he said, as reported by The Sun. “When I first came here, I was a bit apprehensive of how I would take to it because I’d never left Arsenal.

“I’d been at Arsenal since I was four and a half, so coming to a new club, coming up north to Newcastle was a bit scary.

“But as I came here and settled in and saw the love from the fans that I’m receiving, of course I’d love to continue playing here.”

TBR View: Arsenal should consider another loan before final Willock decision

Willock always faced a tough task trying to prove a point to Mikel Arteta while away from the Emirates. He had been struggling for game-time, and Newcastle have endured a tough campaign.

He has shown some promise at St James’ Park. And that may encourage Arteta ahead of the youngster’s potential return in the summer.

It is probably fair to say however, that he has not yet done enough to push for more minutes with Arsenal next season.

So with that in mind, another loan move may be a good idea. A full season away could allow Arsenal to get a better idea of where his long-term future should lie – whether that be back in North London, or elsewhere on a permanent basis.