Joe Willock's Transfer Boosts Arsenal's Finances
Arsenal’s summer business might be about to receive an unexpected cash injection from a deal they signed three years ago and have barely thought about since.
Joe Willock, the Hale End graduate who left north London for Newcastle United in 2021, is closing in on a move to Besiktas. Buried in that original transfer to St. James’ Park: a sell‑on clause that now looks like shrewd work from the Emirates hierarchy.
A clause comes back into play
Willock joined Newcastle permanently for £25million after a blistering loan spell in the second half of the 2020/21 season, when he hit a remarkable scoring streak and almost single-handedly dragged the Magpies away from trouble. At the time, Arsenal were happy with the fee, but they also protected their future with a sell‑on agreement.
Football.london reports that the Gunners inserted that clause into the deal, though the exact percentage remains under wraps. What matters now is that Newcastle are ready to cash in.
Willock, 26, has just 12 months left on his contract in the North East. Besiktas have emerged as serious contenders for his signature, with the move gathering pace over the past week. ChronicleLive report that the midfielder’s agent has travelled to Turkey to push talks forward and that personal terms have already been agreed.
Newcastle have already turned down a £10m offer earlier in the summer. Besiktas are now closing on a £17.4m deal, a figure that would trigger a tidy windfall for Arsenal once the sell‑on kicks in.
From Hale End to Istanbul, via Tyneside
For Arsenal, Willock is more than a line in a balance sheet. He is another product of the academy conveyor belt that has underpinned the club for decades.
He broke into the first team in 2017 and announced himself in style, scoring on his Premier League debut against Newcastle at the Emirates in April 2018. Across four seasons in red and white, he made 78 appearances and scored 11 goals, often providing energy and late runs from midfield in cup and Europa League fixtures.
His decision to move on in 2021 suited all parties. Arsenal needed to reshape Mikel Arteta’s squad; Willock needed guaranteed minutes. On Tyneside, he found them. Since joining Newcastle, he has racked up 168 appearances and scored 11 goals, becoming a key part of their evolution under new ownership and Eddie Howe.
Now, with his contract running down and Newcastle looking to refresh their own midfield, the time has come for another change of scene.
Timely boost for Arsenal’s title defence
Back in north London, the timing could hardly be better.
Arsenal are arming themselves for a Premier League title defence, already moving decisively in the market. Christos Tzolis, Piero Hincapie, Illan Meslier and Bruno Guimaraes have all arrived as Arteta looks to deepen and sharpen a squad that went the distance last season.
Even so, the club still want more. A new left‑winger remains on the shopping list. Targets have not been easy to land. Morgan Rogers, strongly linked, ended up at Chelsea. Vinicius Junior, long admired, has committed his future to Real Madrid with fresh terms.
Every extra pound now matters. Any slice of the Willock fee will help Arsenal stretch their budget that little bit further, whether that means nudging up a bid, smoothing wage demands or simply giving them more room to manoeuvre under financial regulations.
A homegrown midfielder, sold at the right time, now funding the next phase of a title-chasing squad. For Arsenal, that is exactly how the model is supposed to work.
