Newcastle get their man

[Wokingclaret]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/58141002

[jdrobbo]

Was outstanding for them in his loan there last season.

[boatshed bill]

Good signing for them

[ksrclaret]

Huge fee but that’s the level we’re at in the PL.

Just looking at his record again for them last season - looks like he scored 8 goals in 14 appearances. If he gets close to that again it probably keeps them up.

[Top Claret]

Ashley is a good chairman he always pulls the stops out one road or tother

[ClaretAndJew]

Not really a big fee in today's market really. Good signing for them and improves their 11.

[Mattster]

The other way to look at it is that they've had to spend £25m just to stay at the same level they finished last season. It's the problem with loan moves unless there's an agreed buy option, before those goals on loan his fee would probably been around half that amount.

If we get any loans this window I hope we're getting buy options written into the deal.

[bobinho]

Looks like decent enough business. Good player and potential to develop further.

He’s ok, but no Gomes….

[RVclaret]

Good player but agree with Mattster - very expensive signing to not even improve from last season.

[NewClaret]

Good signing

[taio]

Yes a good signing - he did very well for them last season. It puts some of the valuations e.g. £50m for McNeil into perspective.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Odd move by Arsenal to sell him

Good price for a player with 2yrs left on his contract.

Should do well in Newcastle

[Mattster]

Yes a good signing - he did very well for them last season. It puts some of the valuations e.g. £50m for McNeil into perspective.

Not really, he's a fringe player at Arsenal with 2 years left on his contract. A completely different scenario to McNeil.

[the_fat_shearer]

Good signing. Proven last year that he can do it which is a contrast to some of the sales of the bigger clubs - the likes of Liverpool selling players like Ibe for £15m to Bournemouth when they've done nothing in the Prem is just one example of a few who haven't been proven but clubs have demanded a significant fee.

[Quickenthetempo]

Huge fee but that’s the level we’re at in the PL.

Just looking at his record again for them last season - looks like he scored 8 goals in 14 appearances. If he gets close to that again it probably keeps them up.

Sides with a midfielder scoring at that rate over a full season will get European football.

It's around double Chris Woods scoring rate for us.

[Woodleyclaret]

Ashley does back Bruce
But then again Ashley is a multimillionaire

[Mattster]

Sides with a midfielder scoring at that rate over a full season will get European football.

It's around double Chris Woods scoring rate for us.

No way he replicates that over a full season.

Wood, for example had 8 goals in 13 games in the same time frame as Willock had 8 in 14 at the end of the season. Neither is keeping that rate up across 38, as much as I wish Wood would.

[Quickenthetempo]

No way he replicates that over a full season.

Wood, for example had 8 goals in 13 games in the same time frame as Willock had 8 in 14 at the end of the season. Neither is keeping that rate up across 38, as much as I wish Wood would.

I agree, but Newcastle will stay up with out him.

Getting a regular goal scoring midfielder will shoot them up the league. As it would us.

[buzzclarets79]

Played well to get himself in the shop window as he prob knew he wouldn't get a chance at Arsenal. If he can repeat the form he showed it's a great signing but can't help but feel might be a slight drop in effort now he's made that move. Also didn't seem to be much interest from other teams

[Conroysleftfoot]

Played well to get himself in the shop window as he prob knew he wouldn't get a chance at Arsenal. If he can repeat the form he showed it's a great signing but can't help but feel might be a slight drop in effort now he's made that move. Also didn't seem to be much interest from other teams

I seem to remember years ago a player named Malcolm Smith was brilliant when playing on loan for us but his fotm dropped off when we signed him permanently.

[warksclaret]

Good way to do business-outstanding when on loan, and now he poses no risk to Newcastle. He guaranteed them quite a few points through his goals

[Vegas Claret]

Huge fee but that’s the level we’re at in the PL.

Just looking at his record again for them last season - looks like he scored 8 goals in 14 appearances. If he gets close to that again it probably keeps them up.

if Saint Maximin stays fit they will be comfortably mid table

[Newcastleclaret93]

Apparently signing Anguissa from Fulham as well. They have played a blinder this window if they get both of them

[Peter Loo]

I seem to remember years ago a player named Malcolm Smith was brilliant when playing on loan for us but his fotm dropped off when we signed him permanently.

Yes I remember that very strange cost £20000 didn’t he?

[Tall Paul]

Looks like they might not be getting their man after all.

[Local cricketer]

Has he got lost or is he hitch hiking

[Jakubclaret]

Good player but agree with Mattster - very expensive signing to not even improve from last season.

He does improve them though because he’s staying if he left the contributions he made last season would be void assuming he has another good season, it’s definitely an improvement because you need to make that judgement as if he wasn’t there.

[GodIsADeeJay81]

Looks like they might not be getting their man after all.

He's holding out for another club to come in for him isn't he?

[minnieclaret]

Wages the stumbling block according to the overnight papers.
All politics. He’ll sign in the end.

[claretonthecoast1882]

Has he followed them on instagram yet

[jojomk1]

He's holding out for another club to come in for him isn't he?

Come on Mr Pace - this is your chance to shine

[tiger76]

Surprise, surprise it looks like they've now agreed personal terms with Willock, and this deal will now be confirmed.

Given Arsenal's lack of gaols from midfield it's a surprise that Arteta is letting Willock go, but maybe he needs to generate funds for any incomings he wishes to make.

However even if Newcastle do sign Willock, it still won't improve their starting XI from last season, and arguably they've had an even quieter window than we have endured.

[Devils_Advocate]

However even if Newcastle do sign Willock, it still won't improve their starting XI from last season, and arguably they've had an even quieter window than we have endured.

It will improve their starting XI because they will have him for a full season and not just from February. Also Newcastle came 12th which if they can repeat would be a decent season and if by keeping the loan player who helped them end the season with Champions League form and climb from 17th to 12th they can do that then it is a very positive and important signing for them

[tiger76]

It will improve their starting XI because they will have him for a full season and not just from February. Also Newcastle came 12th which if they can repeat would be a decent season and if by keeping the loan player who helped them end the season with Champions League form and climb from 17th to 12th they can do that then it is a very positive and important signing for them

Newcastle are remarkably similar to Burnley, in that if they're lacking key individuals they'll struggle, just compare their results when ASM and Callum Wilson were absent, and then compare to the last 8/10 games once that duo returned, Willock is a good signing based on his purple patch while on loan, but it'll be interesting to see whether he maintains that level now he's got his big money move, if he can he could well be knocking on the England squad door.

[tiger76]

Done deal regarding Willock, pending a medical.

Arsenal midfielder Joe Willock has agreed personal terms with Newcastle and will travel to the north-east for a medical ahead of a permanent transfer.

The deal for the 21-year-old is expected to be in the region of £25m and comes after a successful loan spell with Steve Bruce's side last season. ​