Mikel Arteta drops HUGE Joe Willock transfer hint to boost Newcastle United's hopes of £20m signing
The Gunners chief has hinted at a busy summer transfer window at the Emirates Stadium as he looks to get the club back among the top sides in the Premier League.
Willock has been a huge success since joining the Magpies on loan in January, netting four times in his last four games to fire them to Premier League safety.
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Hide AdNewcastle would be keen on bringing the 21-year-old to St James’s Park in the summer, but could be forced to pay a £20million fee for the midfielder.
Arteta had previously spoken about giving Willock another go at the Emirates, but needs to overhaul his playing squad after a dismal season.
A number of fringe players are expected to depart, with decisions also to be made on whether to offer new deals to the likes of David Luiz and to retain those players returning from loan deals.
“There are so many things to do,” Arteta replied when asked if he expected a big outlay of players coming and going in the summer.
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Hide Ad“We already have a lot of players on loan, a lot of players with contracts still that we have to sort and it will depend what happens with a lot of those players.
“And what we are able to recruit to improve the team is going to determine where we are.
“We have been sitting down the whole year, we have been in constant communication, and things will change.
“Some things will stick to the plan that we already have and some other things will come out. But we sit down very, very regularly to talk about those things obviously.”
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Hide AdAsked if Arsenal needed to sell players in order to buy, Arteta replied: “I don’t think it is completely like that, but it will restrict and it will alter some plans in relation to what happens with one or two.”
Newcastle boss Steve Bruce has already said the club would be keen to land loan signing Willock on a permanent basis, while Ainsley Maitland-Niles’ future is up in the air after he was relegated while on loan at West Brom.