Aston Villa were strongly linked with Isaac Hayden in January.
Newcastle United midfielder Isaac Hayden has told the club’s official website that January was ‘difficult’ as a move away from the club broke down.
The Magpies brought in Antonio Barreca and Miguel Almiron on deadline day, but no deal for a new midfielder meant Hayden had to stay.
Formerly of Arsenal, Hayden has been keen on a move away from Newcastle since the end of last season, with a move back down south preferred.
The Birmingham Mail noted last week that Hayden had become Aston Villa’s priority target ahead of deadline day, with Dean Smith hoping to land him as a midfield reinforcement.
However, with Newcastle failing to sign a central midfielder, Hayden wasn’t allowed to leave, and he started in Saturday’s defeat at Tottenham Hotspur.
The 23-year-old appears to still have an important role to play under Rafael Benitez, and he has opened up on his ‘difficult’ January.
Hayden noted that it was tough because he didn’t know whether he would be staying or going, but will put 100% into his time with Newcastle, feeling that he is now hitting his stride in Benitez’s side once again.
“This has been a difficult period. I’ve not really known whether I was going to be staying here for the second part of the season or whether I was going to be going, but – as I’ve said – as soon as you cross that white line, everything else doesn’t matter,” said Hayden.
“You’ve got a job to do, and you always want to try and do your best and show what you’re capable of doing. It probably took me a couple of games to get back in my stride but now I feel fit enough, I feel like I’ve had a good run of games – which is what you need – and I just hope that I can help the team until the end of the season and keep giving 100 per cent,” he added.
Hayden’s stay may only be short lived, as a summer move will surely be rumoured again, and it would be little surprise to see Villa return with a new bid at the end of the season,
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