Isaac Hayden spent eight years at Premier League powerhouses Arsenal but will be wearing Newcastle United colours at The Emirates on Monday.
Isaac Hayden has insisted that he does not regret leaving Arsenal three years ago as the Newcastle United midfielder prepares to come up against his former employers this weekend, as reported by The Chronicle.
Newcastle will make a daunting trip to The Emirates on Monday night to face a Gunners side who re-claimed their place in the top four with a 2-0 win against Manchester United before the international break.
And the game will carry extra significance for Hayden, who has been a key player for Rafa Benitez’s Magpies since the turn of the year.
The Chelmsford-born enforcer spent eight years in North London but made just two first-team appearances before he moved to Tyneside in 2016.
But is Hayden regretting his failure to make a mark at Arsenal?
“No, not really,” the 24-year-old said. “The way I see it in football is that when you’re a young player coming through the youth Academy system at any club, it’s all about your window of opportunity.
“I got an opportunity and I got injured and was out for 10 months and the opportunity had gone. I don’t really dwell on it or think about it – that’s football. It wasn’t meant to be and I’ve come to another great football club and that’s that.”
Hayden has been in impressive form in recent weeks for a Newcastle side who appear to have pulled themselves clear of a relegation battle of late.
But the midfielder barely wastes an opportunity to make it clear that he wants to leave St James’ Park in the summer, telling the Chronicle in January that he wants to move back down South to be closer to his family.
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