Newcastle United have completed the permanent signing of Joe Willock from Arsenal for a reported £25million.
The midfielder underwent his medical with the Magpies on Friday morning, before training with the first-team squad, and has signed a six-year contract at St James’ Park.
Willock enjoyed a brilliant loan spell on Tyneside last season, where he became an instant Toon Army hero by scoring eight goals in 14 appearances.
A Newcastle statement on Friday afternoon said: “Newcastle United have completed the permanent signing of midfielder Joe Willock from Arsenal for an undisclosed fee.
“The 21-year-old enjoyed an outstanding loan spell with the Magpies between January and May 2021, scoring eight goals in just 14 Premier League appearances to help Steve Bruce’s side to a 12th-placed finish last season.
“During his initial stay on Tyneside, he also became the youngest player ever to score in seven consecutive Premier League matches – a sequence he will now get an opportunity to extend in a black and white shirt having agreed a long-term deal.”
Steve Bruce joined talkSPORT on Friday and confirmed the deal was imminent, insisting Willock was always the Magpies’ number one target.
“We had to be patient” he said. “From the very last game of the season we decided that if it was possible can we bring the kid back?
“I knew Mikel [Arteta] would want him back for pre-season, that was always in the back of my mind because I would have done the exactly same thing with a 21-year-old.
“So we knew we had to be patient when all around us was chaos.
“He was our number one target. We explored the route of another loan deal and when it became pretty evident that that wasn’t going to be the case, then of course we’ve entered into negotiations with Arsenal.
“Over the last few years we’ve broken every rule Newcastle have had in terms of going about transfers, but we’ve made it possible and for everybody concerned, a big thank you.”
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