Matthias Jaissle favourite agrees personal terms over potential Newcastle United exit - reports
Newcastle United midfielder Joe Willock continues to be linked with a move to Turkish side Besiktas.
Newcastle United midfielder Joe Willock has already agreed personal terms over a potential move to Besiktas, according to reports in Turkey.
Willock was subject to interest from Besiktas in the summer but stayed put under new boss Matthias Jaissle, under whom he has established himself as a regular, having started nine of the Magpies’ opening 11 matches in all competitions.
But the 27-year-old’s future remains uncertain. He is out of contract at the end of the campaign and is free to enter into a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs from January.
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And according to Turkish journalist Yagiz Sabuncuoglu, who boasts 2.3 million followers on X and almost half a million subscribers on YouTube, Besiktas plan to renew their pursuit this winter, having already reached an agreement over personal terms with Willock’s representatives.
The reports will come as no surprise to those on Tyneside after Besiktas club president Serdal Adali publicly addressed his pursuit of Willock last month.
“There were players we couldn’t sign in the summer,” Adali said. “Our manager wanted Willock. From day one, it was Willock, Willock. Nobody knows this, but I brought Willock’s whole family to Istanbul.
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“They picked out a house, and they had video calls with Italiano and Onder [Ozen, Besiktas director of football] at least ten times. Furthermore, we went to see the player in person twice. His contract ends at the end of the season. He can sign a pre-contract in the winter.
“They had asked for £20 million. We can sign him in January – in fact, I will sign him. The only player the manager wanted that we missed out on was Joe Willock. We genuinely need someone there.”
He later added: “I remain insistent on Willock. I will go and speak with Newcastle again during the mid-season window. If it works out, he is the target.”
Newcastle have the power to dent Besiktas’ pursuit by agreeing a new deal with Willock to keep him at St James’ Park beyond the 2026/27 campaign, but talks between the club and Willock’s camp have not been forthcoming.
When asked about the comments from the Besiktas president, Jaissle laughed before telling the Gazette: “I hear that every day!
“I think he's talking about it also every day. In general, it's our player. We're really happy with him, and I think you see that also on the pitch.
“He's a top, top player. He can deliver an unbelievable performance, and I see even more potential with him, so we are happy that he's here.”
When asked about wanting to resolve Willock’s future, Jaissle added: “Yeah, you can definitely imagine that. How highly I'm talking about him. So there's not a worry from our side.”