Back in July, Newcastle were said to be in talks with Watford over the signing of Will Hughes, who wanted to leave (The Sun).
Discussions continued, until Crystal Palace swooped in and secured his signature on a three-year contract worth £6m.
It was something of a blow to Newcastle.
Hughes is a highly-rated midfielder, one with plenty of Premier League experience, while Gareth Southgate also believes he’s a ‘fantastic‘ player.
Now, the 26-year-old may be wishing he did join the Magpies, as he experiences a tough start to life at Crystal Palace.
What’s the story?
Under Patrick Vieira, Hughes is strangely yet to kick a ball this season.
In truth, Crystal Palace’s midfield options are plentiful right now, so there is serious competition.
Vieira has Luka Milivojevic, James McArthur, Conor Gallagher, Jeffrey Schlupp, Jairo Riedewald and Cheikhou Kouyate to choose from, while Ebere Eze is also close to returning.
Having said that, it seems odd that Hughes hasn’t even made a single appearance from the bench – he literally hasn’t played a second of football for the Eagles.
Should Newcastle go back in for Will Hughes?
A lot has changed at Newcastle since Hughes opted for Crystal Palace.
Steve Bruce and Mike Ashley have gone, and new owners are in place at St James’ Park with ambitious plans.
In that respect, it’s feasible that Hughes now sees the Magpies in a different light, and may be more interested in joining them.
Newcastle’s midfield is lacking quality, and also depth, so if Hughes ends up back on the market, the Magpies should go back in for him, in our view.
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