Campbell blown away by ‘great’ Newcastle United signing
Joe Willock’s deadline-day loan switch from Arsenal to Newcastle United is a “great move” for all parties.
That is according to ex-Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell speaking exclusively to Football Insider after the 21-year-old’s goalscoring Magpies debut in the 3-2 win over Southampton on Saturday.
Willock has made 15 appearances for Arsenal this campaign, with nine of those coming off the bench, but manager Mikel Arteta felt he would be better off playing more regular football in the second half of the season.
Quoted in Goal, Arteta said of Willock’s temporary departure: “I thought that he would have less time [at Arsenal] and that probably the best thing to do would be to give him 14, 15, 16 games in the Premier League.”
Campbell meanwhile thinks Willock will benefit 16th-place Newcastle by bringing some variety to their midfield while also progressing his own game.
Asked why the England Under-21 international had not been sent out on loan before, Campbell told Football Insider correspondent Dylan Childs: “Sometimes the issues are in terms of which teams come in.
“You have to agree whether it’s the right place for the player and maybe that hasn’t quite materialised.
“Willock, I think it’s a great move for him because he adds something a little bit different to what’s already in that Newcastle midfield.”
Willock is an Arsenal academy graduate and made his first-team debut in September 2017.
Since then he has gone on to play 78 times for the club, scoring 11 goals in the process.
In other news, it can be revealed how a Newcastle United transfer collapsed at the eleventh hour.