What should Arsenal do with Joe Willock? The case for keeping him and selling him

Joe Willock

What should Arsenal do with Joe Willock? The case for keeping him and selling him

By Josh Graham

It might have been a tame end to the season for most of Arsenal’s players, but not Joe Willock.

On loan at Newcastle United, the Gunners midfielder bagged an incredible seven goals in seven Premier League games. 

Newcastle, who were at one stage flirting very heavily with the drop, somehow finished 12th, only four spots behind Mikel Arteta’s men in eighth.

And Willock’s red-hot form in front of goal grabbed the headlines and made many sit up and take notice of the promising 21-year-old, with some even suggesting he was ready for full international honours.

Willock showed he has what it takes to stay


If you equal a record held by Alan Shearer in the North East then it is fair to say your time at St James’ Park has been a huge success.

Willock matched Shearer’s tally of seven Prem goals in as many games and by doing so also became the youngest player to ever achieve the feat.

After moving in the January window from North London, Willock came to under-fire Steve Bruce’s aid with a stunning return of eight goals in 14 games for Newcastle.

Deployed as a box-to-box midfielder, Willock looked like a completely different player to the one who struggled to make an impact as a No.10 in Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side.

The stats don’t lie, Willock simply must be given a shot in the middle of the park for the Gunners. 

He has been at the club since the age of four and it would seem particularly harsh if he was not given a run of games to show he can transfer his Tyneside form to the Emirates. 

With Martin Odegaard and Dani Ceballos both seemingly headed back to Real Madrid and Granit Xhaka’s future unresolved there is the opportunity for some more of the game time that Willock craves.

The time to cash in on Willock is now


Arteta had no hesitation in letting Willock leave on loan at the start of the year, making it painstakingly obvious that he was surplus to requirements. 

And the Spanish boss is yet to make any clear indication that his perception of the player has changed massively thanks to his remarkable scoring spree away on loan.

Asked whether Willock was in his plans, Arteta said: “Well, for sure. Because he has a contract and he’s going to be here. That’s for sure.”

If the Gunners board and Arteta are not convinced about Willock, surely now is the best time to sell up and receive the most competitive price.

Newcastle are keen to hang onto their new hot shot and if Willock returns to merely sit on the bench, then his value will quickly plummet.

Willock deserves a chance


Willock must get a chance to show he can do the business - or what was the point of sending him on loan?

Sent away to get more minutes under his belt and gain valuable Premier League experience, Willock simply could not stop scoring and it would be remiss of the Gunners not to see if he can progress in the red shirt. 

Photo Credit: Getty Images

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