Isaac Hayden has admitted that he STILL wants to leave the club after failing to secure a move away over the summer – stating that ‘family comes first’.
This means the midfielder will be pushing for a move once again this month, however the timing couldn’t be worse for Rafa Benitez, with Ki away at the Asian Cup, Diame limping off against Man Utd and a rusty Shelvey having only just back from injury.
Hayden handed in a transfer request over the summer, but any move away failed to materialise – probably due to the fact Ashley refused to sanction the signing of a replacements (something Rafa will have no doubt demanded if he was going to let him leave).
Here’s what Hayden’s had to say:
Hayden was promising in his first season, putting in several assured displays in our promotion campaign, however he’s never looked the same since our return to the top flight.
It could be down to the fact he’s been unsettled and away from issues closer to home, but he really has looked limited both on and off the ball this season.
Hopefully he finds a solution – with it being the best for both parties if he can leave for his own good and we can sign a decent replacement who’ll actually want to be here; something that’s key in our predicament.
