David Ornstein believes that Arsenal will not have made their mind up on Joe Willock as of yet, and will use the full pre-season to decide.
The midfielder joined Newcastle on loan in January, but returned to North London with a seven-match goalscoring streak in his pocket.
Willock became the youngest ever player to score in six consecutive Premier League matches, before extending that run to seven, and the Magpies are believed to be exploring the chance to return him to St James’s Park this summer.
Mikel Arteta’s comments claim that he will be returning to join up with the rest of the squad, but if you analyse any answers to questions on potential outgoings, his comments are forever the same, that they are ‘contracted to the club’.
David Ornstein doesn’t believe that any decision will have been made yet however, despite the youngster’s thoroughly impressive few months, although you shouldn’t discount his input for our side in the Europa League earlier in the season either.
“You mention Willock there. It’s an absolutely fascinating dilemma for Arsenal ahead,” Ornstein told listeners of the Ornstein & Chapmans Podcast.
“He’s scored seven in seven and it’s been a really successful loan, which would have been Arsenal’s plan.
“And in normal circumstances as an academy graduate you’d expect that player to come back and slot back into the team and have a really successful career with Arsenal, which may still be the case.
“But as I understand it, relatively recently, if an offer of £10 or £15 million – no chance, wouldn’t even consider it.
“If it comes in for £20 million or £25 million, then there may be a conversation to have and they really need to weigh it up.
“They don’t know for a fact that Willock is going to work within Arteta’s system – it might be that it was perfect for him at Newcastle.
“There is a potentials scenario that he comes back to Arsenal, he gets given the chance that all the fans want to be given now, and it doesn’t quite work and they bemoan the club for not cashing in for £20 million.
“I’m sure they will get him back in for pre-season and then make the decision, I don’t think they’ll be a rush on Joe Willock.”
Has Willock more-than earned his chance to play for the senior team next season?
Patrick