Steve Bruce says: “We keep asking Arsenal” about Willock | OneFootball

We are now over halfway through the summer transfer window and only a few weeks from Arsenal’s first game of the season again fellow Londoners Brentford, and we are still a long way off from knowing who will be in the Gunners first team next season.

We are not the only ones though, as the Newcastle manager Steve Bruce is still trying desperately to find out if Arteta intends to put Joe Willock in his plans or not.

The Gunners have already signed Albert Lokonga as a midfield option, and are actively in the market for another midfielder according to the transfer rumours.

It would appear we are still looking at Aouar, Neves, Bissouma, Madisson and Martin Odegaard, amongst others, so where would this leave Willock if yet another competition comes in?

Newcastle are also in the market for a midfielder, with Joe Willock obviously top of his list after his exploits on loan last season, and he is going to keep trying until he gets a final answer from Arsenal…

“We’re going to still have to be patient.” Bruce told BBC Radio Newcastle, as transcribed by nufcblog.

“I know that’s awful from me but we haven’t the biggest of budgets.

“In the market we’re looking at – loan market in particular – we’re going to have to let the big, big clubs go to work.”

“With Joe Willock, we just have to be patient with it. Will Arsenal let him out? Will they sell him? – those are the questions we keep asking Arsenal.

“We’ll keep bashing away at one or two things.”

“It’s been difficult for every club. Managers always want players but it’s very difficult when you haven’t got a lot of money.”

“Midfield is the main area. We’re weaker than we were last year because we haven’t got Joe Willock.

“We need to keep improving but it’s very difficult with limited funds, but I’ll keep bashing away to try to improve us, little by little.”

So is Arteta waiting to see if he gets his preferred transfer targets before deciding on Willock’s future, or is he is just holding out for a good offer for our academy graduate? It just must be very frustrating for both Bruce as well as Willock at the moment.

Oh well, only five weeks to go and we will all know for sure…