Arsenal prepared to allow Joe Willock to leave on loan to get more first-team football; 21-year-old midfielder has not started in the Premier League since November 29. Newcastle reject Bournemouth bid for Matt Ritchie while Leicester's Hamza Choudhury remains a target for Steve Bruce
Monday 1 February 2021 20:05, UK
Arsenal midfielder Joe Willock has agreed to join Newcastle on loan until the end of the season.
Arsenal are understood to be prepared to allow Willock, 21, to leave the Emirates to get more first-team football.
The emergence of Emile Smith-Rowe and the loan signing of Martin Odegaard from Real Madrid have reduced Willock's opportunities of regular game time under Mikel Arteta.
Willock has made 16 appearances across all competitions for Arsenal this season, but has not started a Premier League match since a 2-1 home defeat against Wolves on November 29.
Meanwhile, Newcastle winger Matt Ritchie will remain at the Premier League club after they rejected a loan bid from Bournemouth.
Championship promotion hopefuls Bournemouth wanted to re-sign the 31-year-old, who initially joined Newcastle on a five-year deal in July 2016, until the end of the season.
Ritchie, who signed a two-year contract extension until the summer of 2023 in March, has made 11 appearances for Steve Bruce's side this season and has not featured since a 1-0 defeat at Sheffield United on January 12.
Speaking ahead of Newcastle's Premier League home match against Crystal Palace on Tuesday, Bruce had earlier admitted Ritchie was "frustrated" with his lack of regular game time at St James' Park.
"That's up in the air. Matt's been a very, very good servant to the club here and very, very well thought of, so we'll see, we'll see again later on in the day with that one.
"Matt's found himself a bit frustrated with not playing and not being a regular in the team, and I understand that totally. But he has to understand that if it doesn't happen, then he gets his head down and works his way to the end of the season."
Bruce said Leicester midfielder Hamza Choudhury is a target for the club, but that deal could depend on moves at other clubs going ahead.
Leicester are interested in signing Watford midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah, who previously played under Brendan Rodgers while he was in charge of the Chelsea academy.
Watford have enquired about the availability of signing Matty Longstaff as a replacement, but Newcastle are reluctant to allow the 20-year-old to leave unless they bring in a midfielder.
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