Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Mikel Arteta has been speaking about Joe Willock and his future at Arsenal.
The midfielder has of course been shining out on loan at Newcastle United, and as you can imagine, his great performances for the Magpies have seen him linked with a permanent transfer.
Unfortunately for the Tyneside outfit, Arteta seems to be quite intent on keeping Willock at the Emirates next term.
Arteta was asked if Willock is a part of his long-term plans, to which he replied:
“Yes, and I’m really happy that things have gone so well for him because of the potential that Joe has. I think it was great for him to go away and have a different experience. He has grabbed that opportunity in a really remarkable and positive way. He will be back with us, we will have those conversations with him and plan the next years for him,”
Arteta was then pushed again to confirm that Willock would be back at Arsenal next season.
“Well for sure because he’s got a contract and he’s going to be here. So that’s for sure,” Arteta said.
It seems as though Willock will be back playing in red next season.
We firmly believe that the midfielder has done enough to be given a chance for Arsenal next term, but whether or not Arteta gives him a shot remains to be seen.
Willock has proven during his time at Newcastle that he’s good enough to make a real impact in the Premier League, but now it’s up to the Arsenal boss to unlock that talent in north London.
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