Newcastle: Palace join race for Magpies target Will Hughes | OneFootball

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·1 August 2021

Newcastle: Palace join race for Magpies target Will Hughes

Article image:Newcastle: Palace join race for Magpies target Will Hughes

An update has emerged on reported Newcastle transfer target Will Hughes regarding Crystal Palace’s interest in his signature.

What’s the talk?

According to Football.London, the Eagles have joined the race to land the 26-year-old from Watford this summer.


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The report claims that Aston Villa and Newcastle are also interested in the former Derby County player, who has one year left to run on his current contract.

Who would you rather have?

Will Hughes

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Isaac Hayden

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Bye-bye Hayden

Newcastle midfielder Isaac Hayden has been linked with an exit from St James’ Park and his future could dictate any potential move for Hughes. Southampton are reportedly keen on the former Arsenal man and his sale could allow the Magpies to bring the Watford ace to Tyneside.

Hayden had an indistinct 2020/21 campaign as he managed a WhoScored rating of 6.67 in 24 Premier League appearances. This suggests that Steve Bruce’s side would not be greatly damaged by letting him go as he was not able to consistently provide impressive performances in the top flight.

Therefore, it could be time to wave bye-bye to Hayden and say hello to Hughes, as it could improve Bruce’s starting XI. The Watford midfielder enjoyed a superb season in the Championship for the Hornets as he averaged a WhoScored rating of 7.19 when starting in central midfield to help them secure promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

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Former Watford central defender Adrian Mariappa once showered the midfielder with praise as he said of his one-time team-mate: “He’s an outstanding player. To see the quality he’s got, he has so much flair and a terrific player.”

This suggests that Hughes could come in and have a better chance of being able to catch the eye in midfield for Newcastle than Hayden, which is why the Magpies must act now to land him. He could be an upgrade on what they currently have in midfield and it would allow them to cash in on the Saints target, which could then raise funds for other signings or potentially pay for Hughes.

However, the Tynesiders must move swiftly if they are to sign the £26k-per-week gem because of this latest update. Palace are now on his trail and Aston Villa are also said to be keen, which means that Newcastle run the risk of losing out to their rivals in the race for his signature if they remain indecisive.

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