Joe Willock has revealed that he "gave his life" to Arsenal but ultimately decided to leave the club after it became clear he was not valued in north London. The midfielder will face his boyhood club on Saturday evening when Newcastle United travel to the Emirates Stadium for a crucial Premier League encounter.
A Clash of Ambitions
Arsenal are currently battling for their first league title since 2003, while Newcastle are desperate to secure points to climb into the top half of the table. Willock has made 35 appearances for the Magpies this season, scoring once and providing two assists in over 1,300 minutes of action.
The 26-year-old departed Arsenal in 2021, signing a six-year contract with Newcastle for a fee of £25 million. Having spent his entire career at the Gunners up to that point, making 78 appearances and scoring 11 goals, Willock decided to leave his comfort zone at the Emirates after realising he was not part of Mikel Arteta's long-term plans.
Feeling the Indifference
Speaking to The Telegraph in 2023, Willock admitted that returning to Arsenal after a loan spell at Newcastle felt different. He said: "I remember that summer going back to Arsenal and I didn't know what to do. I'd enjoyed the loan but to make it permanent was a big call. I wasn't sure I wanted to leave Arsenal."
"I probably thought I was going to go back and things would be the same. I'd be working to break into the first team again and everything would be familiar and comfortable."
However, the midfielder felt the love from Newcastle fans and the apparent indifference from Arsenal, which helped inform his decision. He added: "When the talk of a permanent move started I wasn't sure, you know. The fans probably made that decision easier but also Steve Bruce. He really fought to bring me here, he was great for me. We had loads of conversations on the phone that summer. I wasn't valued at Arsenal, that became clear. When I had a meeting with them, it was obvious they wanted me to go."
"Yeah, it hurt. I would probably have drifted for another year had I stayed. I'd been there since I was four-and-a-half years old. I'd given my life to Arsenal. At that meeting it just felt like my time was up. I didn't feel valued anymore and that was it, I was going to sign for Newcastle after that."
A New Beginning in the North East
Describing the emotional turmoil, Willock said: "At the time, it was overwhelming. Leaving London, leaving Arsenal and coming into the unknown really, it was hard but it was the right time. I'd never been this far north before, I'd never visited Newcastle. I was also joining a team that was fighting relegation. It was all new to me. It was a tough experience, because I'd been so sheltered at Arsenal. But it was also an amazing one."
Highlighting the joy found in the north east, he added: "To experience a totally different dressing room environment, under a different manager, playing with real pressure on your shoulders because we were in that relegation battle, it was the making of me. I had been so protected at Arsenal. I was a young kid coming through the age groups, then a young player trying to break into the first team. Even when I played in the first team it was like, 'oh he's just a young kid.' There was nothing like the same pressure there. I wouldn't say it was easy, but it wasn't as competitive as playing for Newcastle. I came here and I was expected to be one of the main players to get us out of trouble."
Willock's journey from Arsenal academy graduate to Newcastle regular highlights the often difficult decisions players face when seeking regular first-team football and a sense of belonging.
