Eddie Howe Remains Hopeful That Joe Willock's Injury Is Not Serious Amid Newcastle's Pre-Season Struggles

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Eddie Howe is optimistic that Joe Willock's ankle injury isn't severe after he was stretchered off during Newcastle United's 1-0 friendly loss to a K League XI. The match, held in Suwon, saw Kim Jin-Gyu score the decisive goal in the 36th minute. Kim skillfully maneuvered past Jamaal Lascelles before netting the ball past Nick Pope, as Newcastle struggled to dominate.

Newcastle's pre-season has been challenging, with this narrow defeat adding to their concerns. Despite fielding a strong team, they ended the game with fewer shots than their opponents, having 13 compared to the K League team's 15. They only slightly led in expected goals (xG), with a score of 1 compared to 0.93.

Adding to Howe's worries was the absence of Alexander Isak, who is keen on moving to Liverpool. This situation left Howe dealing with another issue when Willock was injured during a late challenge in stoppage time. The midfielder's exit leaves Newcastle with just four senior midfielders after Sean Longstaff's transfer to Leeds United.

Following the match, Howe commented on Willock’s condition: "I don't have a major update yet, but it didn't look great on the pitch. At this moment, it doesn't look like a major, major injury. And fingers crossed it's not because Joe has suffered enough. Hopefully he's okay." Willock had been an integral part of Newcastle last season, appearing in 32 Premier League matches and playing in their EFL Cup final win over Liverpool.

Liverpool's Transfer Moves

Meanwhile, Liverpool has been active in the transfer market, spending over £260 million on players like Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike. They are reportedly preparing an offer for Isak after selling Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich. Howe mentioned that Isak’s future isn’t entirely within his control despite his impressive tally of 23 Premier League goals last season.

In other transfer news, Newcastle is nearing an agreement for Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale on an initial loan deal. This move comes after their primary target James Trafford returned to Manchester City. These developments highlight Newcastle’s efforts to strengthen their squad amid ongoing challenges.