Opinion
£25m Newcastle man surely knows where his future lies after Eddie Howe decisio
Newcastle United lost their first away game of the Premier League season at Brighton on Saturday in a 2-1 defeat – and one player will know his future is over after failing to appear under Eddie Howe.
Newcastle had drawn 0-0 in all three of their previous away fixtures in the Premier League, though they suffered hardship this time around with a Danny Welbeck double cancelling out Nick Woltemade’s flicked finish, which is becoming his trademark.
Tellingly, all three of Newcastle’s starting midfield trio in Joelinton, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes were substituted as Eddie Howe went for the jugular late on to secure a victory on the south coast.
And with Joe Willock failing to get off the bench, it appears that his days of regular minutes at St. James’ Park are all but over with others appearing before him.
Joe Willock didn’t feature for Newcastle vs Brighton and his future seems set in stone
As expected, Newcastle’s midfield three of Joelinton, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes started the game on the south coast.
However, Eddie Howe brought teenage playmaker Lewis Miley on for Joelinton at half-time in a change of tactic in midfield.
That paid off – Miley’s cross saw Nick Woltemade tap home for an equaliser, proving Howe right.
However, there would be more anguish for Willock later on, as Tonali was hooked. Newcastle’s summer signing of Jacob Ramsey saw him introduced instead, which was a telling sign given that he and Willock boast similar profiles.
To rub salt into the wound, Howe brought on young striker William Osula for Bruno Guimaraes with minutes left, meaning that every attacking option except him played some part in the game.
With his contract expiring in the summer of 2027, it looks as though Willock’s time at Newcastle could come to an end this summer if they want to maximise the fee brought in for their long-serving star.
Joe Willock’s Newcastle career started well but he clearly isn’t fancied by Eddie Howe
Joe Willock joined Newcastle for £25million from Arsenal in 2021 after a strong loan spell during the 2020-21 campaign under Steve Bruce.
The four-time England under-21 cap was a roaring success in his temporary spell in the North East, scoring in seven consecutive games for Newcastle at the end of his loan deal. Willock became a record-breaker as the youngest player in Premier League history to achieve that feat.
That saw the club make him their marquee signing in the summer of 2021, just months before their Saudi takeover that saw Eddie Howe come to the fore.
And since then, money being spent on new midfield arrivals has seen Willock fail to stamp his mark at the club.
| Player | Club signed from | Fee (£) |
|---|---|---|
| Joe Willock | Arsenal | £25m |
| Bruno Guimaraes | Lyon | £35m |
| Sandro Tonali | AC Milan | £55m |
| Jacob Ramsey | Aston Villa | £43m |
He started in 31 Premier League games for Newcastle as they qualified for the Champions League in the 2022-23 campaign, but his minutes have quickly decreased since then.
Just five starts in the 2023-24 season came as a result of medium-term injuries, and he made just 11 last time out.
He’s only played in 87 minutes of football this season in the league, and what happened in Brighton at the weekend makes it seem as though his days are numbered.
