After Joe Willock’s brilliant end-of-season with Newcastle, it was thought that Mikel Arteta would have been looking forward this season to having the rejuvenated youngster available, to gel with his mostly youthful team-mates to take Arsenal back into European positions in the next campaign.
If Arteta was still not convinced by his talent, then the obvious other outcome would be a straight sale to a very keen Newcastle side who are desperate to see him return to St James Park, or at least another year’s loan.
But Steve Bruce must be sick of answering questions about Willock, while we have simply had a wall of silence from the Arsenal camp.
Now we have reports from France indicating that Willock is now in talks with Monaco, which may be a more glamorous destination for the 21 year-old than a year in the North-East, so it is obviously a worry for the Toon manager.
Speaking after Newcastle’s draw against Rotherham United last night, Bruce said: “I’ve said many times now, he’s Arsenal’s player.
“Joe has to decide.
“But there has to be a cut-off point where we can’t wait forever.
“We have one or two other options and it would be wrong if we didn’t.
“Joe is our first choice and we are encouraged to keep bashing away.
“There is a cut off point though.”
Obviously we don’t know what is going on behind closed doors, but it would be possible that it is Arteta trying to find a better sale deal to raise some cash for his own targets, but it certainly sounds like Bruce is getting frustrated with all the waiting, despite saying “we are encouraged to keep bashing away”…..