Jetro Willems has been an outstanding acquisition for us, no one can dispute that. The flying wing back is a player we’ve been linked with since the dawn of time, but we finally signed him on a season long loan last summer after his career had gone stale in Germany.
The former PSV and Eintracht Frankfurt player also had a somewhat farcical start to his Newcastle career, when he came off the bench thinking he was playing central midfield in the opening game against Arsenal, only to be switched to left wing back after a matter of minutes. In the confusion Arsenal scored the game’s only goal. Since then however, Willems has gone from strength to strength, and scored his second banger of the season last Saturday to equalize against Man City.
It seems an absolute no brainer that we would make his move a permanent one next summer, especially when his fee is reported to be between £6m and £10m depending on which source you read.
Willems himself seems to be enjoying life with us, and recent spoke to NUFC TV. When asked about the possibility of him staying beyond this season, the on loan wing back said:
“I’m not so concerned about it at the moment. But if I keep on going, I won’t give Newcastle a choice.
“I am fitter. The intensity here is much higher than in the Bundesliga, I think, and that suits me.”
Great to hear from the Dutch international. He certainly isn’t wrong, how could we pass up the opportunity to sign him if he keeps up his current form. It’s hard to imagine a Newcastle starting 11 without him at the moment.
Surely if he keeps it up he has a great chance to make Holland’s Euro 2020 squad. Let’s just hope we tie him down before then!
