Eddie Howe forced into Joe Willock U-turn after Newcastle twist

Eddie Howe must make sure Joe Willock stays at Newcastle beyond the end of the January transfer window after he proved his quality in their 1-1 draw at PSG in midweek.

Newcastle headed to the Parc des Princes on Wednesday in need of all three points to finish in the top eight of the league phase of the Champions League.

Vitinha put PSG ahead early on after Nick Pope had saved Ousmane Dembele’s penalty, but the Magpies were level just before the break as Willock netted in first-half added time.

Newcastle earned a point against PSG to finish in a respectable 12th spot, with Willock’s goal proving decisive as Howe‘s fringe players impressed on what many thought would be a bruising night in the French capital.

The 26-year-old has struggled to make an impact so far this term, but his goal was a stark reminder of the talent he possesses, and highlighted why Howe must not let him leave midway through the season.

Willock has been linked away but Howe must not let him leave Newcastle

Willock has been on the fringes of Newcastle‘s starting eleven for a while now due to the midfield quality at Howe‘s disposal, as he was handed just 11 Premier League starts last season.

He has again struggled for consistent game time this time around, with his start against PSG being only his seventh of the campaign in all competitions so far.

Football Insider revealed in early January that Leeds were eyeing a move for Willock, with Newcastle open to selling for the right price.

Sources have more recently told Football Insider that Willock could push to leave Newcastle, with Crystal Palace also interested in a move, but Howe clearly has to keep him on Tyneside after what he did on Wednesday.

Not only did the former Arsenal man pop up when Newcastle needed him to earn a point away at the European champions, but he put in arguably one of his finest performances in years to secure the draw.

Even in an unfamiliar left-wing position, Willock completed the most dribbles (three) in the match, made six defensive contributions and won five of his six ground duels.

With doubts around the form of Joelinton and Jacob Ramsey and right-back issues forcing Lewis Miley into the back four, it would clearly be unwise to sanction Willock’s exit when he still has so much to give to the club.

What did Howe say about Willock after his goal vs PSG?

Willock has been slammed by Newcastle fans for his performances this season, and he celebrated his goal with a shushing celebration on Wednesday, in a possible nod to the silencing of his critics.

He has only started two Premier League matches this season, but was previously a key player under Howe as he registered 31 league starts while they finished fourth in 2022-23.

The Newcastle boss has stood by him in tough moments, and was full of praise for his efforts following the PSG clash, saying: “That was the Joe Willock of old. Always a scorer of big goals.

“His goalscoring record when he first joined the club was really strong and he scored goals in my first year in particular so really pleased for him.

“He’s had a tough time with injuries. He’s trained really well for us behind the scenes. He’s been waiting for opportunities and today was the right time.”

Howe may well have been open to letting the 26-year-old leave this month as the Magpies aim to finish in the top four once again, but he will surely not let that happen following his latest exploits.

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