Newcastle United have made it through the storm that was the summer transfer window, and Saturday’s controlled victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers has got the ball rolling for Eddie Howe’s side.
The Premier League proved a happy playground for the Magpies last season, who also won the Carabao Cup and have qualified for the Champions League, which looms very large indeed.
It’s a shame that Alexander Isak won’t be with the Toon, but the Sweden striker forced his way out and signed for Liverpool in a record-breaking deal.
In different circumstances, Elliot Anderson continues to go from strength to strength away from St. James’ Park, and while the homegrown talent would have been a perfect fit in this United side, Howe moved to sign some kind of replacement in Jacob Ramsey.
Ramsey could be Howe's new Anderson
It’s been over a year since Anderson left Newcastle for Nottingham Forest in a £35m deal, forcibly cut away by PIF because of PSR.
It’s fair to say the 23-year-old has been thriving of late, awarded the Man of the Match award in each of his first two Three Lions caps and playing an instrumental part for a high-flying Tricky Trees outfit, hailed by analyst Ben Mattinson as a “midfield warrior” and a “powerhouse carrier with a bit of passing range”.
However, Howe signed Ramsey from Aston Villa in a £42m package this summer, and while the dynamic midfielder is currently sidelined with injury, he has the skill to play a similar role: athletic and dynamic, he offers a forward-thinking skillset.
If Ramsey can overcome his current fitness setback, an ankle injury, then he could become a real player for Howe’s side.
And should he reach his potential at the club, where would this leave Joe Willock?
Why Newcastle must now sell Joe Willock
Regarding numbers, Newcastle are hardly overloaded in the middle of the park. Sean Longstaff was sold to Leeds United for £10m this summer, and Isaac Hayden departed on a free transfer.
But Willock might find his playing time reduced with Ramsey now in the ranks. Once an attacking midfielder, the former Arsenal prospect has been fashioned into more of a number eight, but injuries and subsequent struggles for form have kept him on the periphery over the past few years.
25/26
1 (0)
0 + 0
24/25
32 (11)
0 + 2
23/24
9 (5)
1 + 0
22/23
35 (31)
3 + 6
21/22
29 (24)
2 + 0
20/21
14 (11)
8 + 0
An energetic and tenacious midfielder, the 26-year-old Willock has been frustrated by hamstring and achilles injuries in recent times, but when on the field he has left plenty to be desired, having been branded as “disappointing” a year ago by The Athletic’s Chris Waugh, who was discussing how the Englishman needed to step up, as his ball-carrying ability was a cut above his teammates’ own skills.
That’s no longer the case. Ramsey is a high-level dribbler, and his big-money addition certainly suggests that Howe is willing to invest time and effort into shaping him into the player he ought to become.
If that means that Willock needs to be sold, it’s a sacrifice the manager might be willing to make. After all, Willock earns a healthy salary of £80k per week, which isn’t as much as the £120k-per-week Ramsey, but is actually double the £40k-per-week earnings of Anderson over at the City Ground, as per Capology.
The key points here are twofold: Ramsey is valued, entrusted with a big role in the squad and expected to deliver in the years to come; Willock himself earns a fair wage, but his diminished returns of late suggest Newcastle might not be getting bang for their buck.
The lad’s natural talent was never up for dispute. He’s a sharp playmaker with the movement and vision to make things happen. He’s the complete package. But Newcastle have other such players, and even with Anderson long sold, the arrival of Ramsey issues a warning to Willock, who has only played 25 minutes of football so far this season.
Willock is no longer a spring chicken, and given the strength of Newcastle’s starting midfield trident and the addition of Ramsey, it would appear his days are numbered on Tyneside, should he want to play regular minutes during the prime years of his career.
Given that he earns a pretty penny – double as much as Anderson at Forest – the need to ship him out is only heightened, especially with the likes of Lewis Miley waiting in the wings.
