Steve Bruce has at last seen Newcastle make a breakthrough in the transfer market in bid to lure back walk-away fans
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Pre-season Ends On A High As Joe Willock Nears Return – Live Q&A With The Mirror’s Simon Bird
Joe Willock is set to become a £25m Newcastle player – as the club look to flog 10,000 unsold season tickets.
The Arsenal midfielder jetted to Tyneside to complete a medical and sign before noon on Friday so he can be involved against West Ham on Sunday.
The 21-year-old will be Steve Bruce’s first summer signing and United need the boost to plug big gaps on the St James’ Park terraces.
Steve Bruce’s home fortress, for many years a virtual sell out, had almost 20pc of seats still available to buy for the season on Thursday.
MD Lee Charnley, whose £400,000 pay rise was revealed in the club accounts, has pushed through the signing of Willock on a six year deal after a stalemate over personal terms.
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Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Mike Ashley’s club is the only one in the Premier League yet to strengthen, leaving fans underwhelmed at their prospects, but Willock’s arrival will lift the gloom.
With the stalled Saudi Arabia funded takeover off the radar, amid legal wrangling until 2022 at the earliest, Geordie fans needed a reason to reinvest their cash in tickets.
Research on Newcastle’s website showed 9,653 season tickets for sale on Thursday.
The days of a waiting list and clamour for match day tickets is over with some weary supporters staying away until there is a change at the top.
Before the pandemic struck – which has cost United £50m in lost income – Newcastle took the unprecedented step of giving away 10,000 season tickets to cover up gaps in the stands.
It was hoped the freebies would keep St James’ Park looking packed and present a better image to TV cameras and prospective buyers of the club.
The signing of Willock is key to giving Bruce’s squad a boost, with senior players, including Allan Saint-Maximin, demanding new blood.
Despite agreeing a fee with Arsenal last week, the deal has taken time to complete as both parties haggled over personal terms.
Willock, who scored seven goals in seven games to shoot United out of danger and into 12th last season, wanted to become one of the club’s highest players on around £4m a year.
Such is Newcastle’s desperation to make the signing after a summer of inactivity, the players had power.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta said on Thursday: “What he’s done is put himself in a really strong position where he can choose what his future will look like.”
Newcastle may have to sell before the transfer window closes, with local lad Sean Longstaff wanted by Rafa Benitez at Everton.
United are said to have made a £13.5m bid for Jens Cajuste of Midtjyland, but it’s unclear if the Brentford target is wanted as well as Willock.
