Newcastle have been linked with signing Arsenal youngster Isaac Hayden
Isaac Hayden celebrates scoring the sixth goal for Hull City
Newcastle United have been linked with a move for Arsenal youngster Isaac Hayden, the Shields Gazette report.
The deal under consideration is a season long loan move, similar to the recent campaign in which Hayden spent the year at Hull City.
Hayden can play at centre-back and has done for Arsenal’s under-21 side, but he can also play as a defensive midfielder, and did so for Hull City last season.
| Team | Passing Accuracy | Tackles | Interceptions | Aerial Duels Won | Key Passes | Assist | Goals | Appearances | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isaac Hayden | Hull | 88% | 21 | 27 | 10 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 18 |
Hayden made 18 appearances in the Championship for Hull, but only nine of these were starts, playing the full 90 minutes only four times over the second half of the season.
Despite this he managed to record an impressive 27 interceptions, and showed his calmness in possession by completing 88 per cent of his passes, a tricky feat to manage considering half of his appearances came from the bench, when it is more difficult to adjust to games.
Hull City’s Isaac Hayden remonstrates with referee Mike Jones after Manchester City’s fourth goal
Hayden also got on the scoresheet once and managed to create 13 chances, showing he can be useful going forward, even if his teammates could not convert any of them.
His chances at Arsenal appear difficult considering the Gunners have bought both Granit Xhaka and Mohamed Elneny in defensive midfield over the six months.
One option for him if he moves to Newcastle is to play as a central defender and spend time further honing that position a a competitive level, as there may be a better chance of a route into the Arsenal first team in this position.
Burnley’s George Boyd and Hull City’s Isaac Hayden in action
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