A few Newcastle United fans have been reacting on social media to reports by the North Echo, that the club can sign Eintracht Frankfurt full-back Jetro Willems on a permanent deal in January.
Willems moved to St. James’ Park on a one-season loan in the summer, and become Steve Bruce’s first-choice left-wing-back following the loss of Matt Ritchie through an ankle injury sustained in August.
Rotterdam-born Willems has been fielded in the starting line-up for 12 of our 13 Premier League games since losing Ritchie, and scored the go-ahead goal in the 3-1 loss at Liverpool plus the initial equalising hit at home to Manchester City.
The 25-year-old could see his spell on Tyneside continue beyond his current temporary terms, as the club took hold of an option-to-buy during negotiations with Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer to the sum of €11million (£9.2m).
Toon chiefs will be able to trigger the clause in January rather than wait until the end of the season, should they wish to make his move permanent at the first available opportunity.
As well as scoring goals against last season’s top-two Premier League sides, Willems assisted Matty Longstaff’s winner at home to Manchester United and Federico Fernandez’s strike away to West Ham United to make the score 2-0.
Should we trigger the €11m clause in January?
Yes, absolutely
No, wait 'til summer
No, he isn't good enough
The 22-cap Netherland full-back has averaged the eighth-most successful tackles per 90 minutes of all Premier League left-backs to have featured more than five times this season, with Willems boasting 2.4 successful efforts from 3.3 attempts.
Willems also ranks second for passes blocked (1.1), third for total shots (1.0) and successful dribbles (1.2 from 1.8), and eighth for clearances (2.4) and shots blocked (0.3), per WhoScored data.
Here are some of the messages shared as fans reacted to news that we can trigger our €11m clause for Willems as soon as the January window…
They can do it any time
— Justin 🎄 (@JustinTerrett) December 12, 2019
No need for dither or delay. Get Jetro done.
— Michael Johnson (@johnswine87) December 12, 2019
Aye, fair enough, but won’t go through until Jan. Personally I’d wait and see until after the Christmas period.
— NUFC 360 (@NUFC360) December 12, 2019
No rush, he’s not going anywhere else, he may do a kenedy 2nd half of the season or break his leg for all we know. An unnecessary risk, wait till may
— John Ainsworth (@johnnyains) December 12, 2019
Why all that negativity ? The bloke has been immense for us so far, perhaps our POTY.
SIGN JETRO ASAP !!!— TedSky10 (@GallowgateXI) December 12, 2019
Wait
See how he handles the hectic schedule around Christmas and the winter weather up north.
So far he seems a bargain at €11m though— Lefteris (@LefterisToon) December 12, 2019
In other Newcastle United news, an influential £43k-p/w star is keen to hold clear the air talks to discuss his future at St. James’ Park.