Lots of Newcastle United fans have been reacting on social media, after on-loan Eintracht Frankfurt ace Jetro Willems was ruled our for the rest of the season.
Head coach Steve Bruce confirmed that the left-back and teammate Paul Dummett have seen their campaigns reach their ends while speaking to the media on Monday.
Willems was forced off in agony on 15 minutes after collapsing to the ground having twisted his knee at home to Chelsea, with it believed to have caused cruciate ligament damage.
Dummett was not able to feature in our 1-0 win over Frank Lampard’s Stamford Bridge outfit on Saturday, having suffered a hamstring injury against Rochdale in our FA Cup Third Round clash.
Willems may have played his final game for the club as a result of the cruciate ligament damage sustained on Saturday, as the club are so far undecided over terminating the Dutchman’s loan spell from Frankfurt.
Would you still trigger our €11m clause to sign Willems?
Yes
No
We hold an €11million (£9.3m) option to purchase Willems in the summer as part of our loan agreement with Eintracht, but the clause may come into question should we send the 25-year-old back to his parent Bundesliga outfit.
Swarms of the St. James’ Park faithful have been imploring with the club’s hierarchy not to let Willems’ injury paved the end to his Toon career, though, having seen the 22-cap full-back become a mainstay of Bruce’s plans.
Willems has started 18 of the 23 Premier League games to have been available to him, and scored goals against reigning champions Manchester City as well as current league-leaders Liverpool.
He also assisted Matty Longstaff’s winner at home to Manchester United and Federico Fernandez’s 22nd-minute hit in our 3-2 win over West Ham, along with Yoshinori Muto’s Carabao Cup strike at home to Leicester City that sent the game to penalties.
Here are some of the messages shared as fans begged the club to purchase Willems, despite his season-ending injury being a potential major setback…
Such a shame he’s done well👌 hopefully he comes back next season on a permanent basis 👌 #nufc
— PAUL (@nufcneverdies) January 20, 2020
Lets hope @nufc will still strike a deal next season. Very good player who adds a new dimension to the team. Real shame, seems a proper bloke and proper player.
— Mick Maldini (@MickMaldini) January 20, 2020
I swear if we don’t make his move permanent he’s been class needs to be bought
— David (@nufcdavid) January 20, 2020
Gutted. Hopefully we go back in for him when he’s fit.
— Baby Yodash (@harrichun) January 20, 2020
Hope they still sign him.
— DiscoDan (@DiscoDan18) January 20, 2020
Gutted for the lad. Id sign him in the summer still but what a kick in the teeth for him. Doing so well. Hope it happens.
— Simon (@LittleHenryD) January 20, 2020
Terrible news. Made the left wing back spot his own. Will still take him on a permanent. He’s proven enough.
— Andrew McVittie (@Andrew_McVittie) January 20, 2020
I’d still sign him on a permanent
— ianmarshall. (@IJM9694) January 20, 2020
Gutted for him, hope we still try and do a deal in the summer
— Dayle Barron (@DayleBarron) January 20, 2020
Even if Willems is out for the rest of this season, we better make the deal permanent! He’s been brilliant for us & for the quoted price, that’d be an absolute steal! #NUFC
— Jamie Rowntree (@Jamierowntree1) January 20, 2020
In other Newcastle United news, a rumoured target is ‘getting ready to say goodbye’ to his current side ahead of a January switch to St. James’ Park.