Joe Willock is open to leaving Newcastle United for Besiktas, and that fresh stance could be the point that finally moves the deal. Negotiations between the clubs are still ongoing, with a fee now the only real obstacle.
That matters because Willock is 26 and entering the final year of his contract at Newcastle United, so this is no longer a case of waiting for the market to shift later in the summer. On Friday, Sebastien Vidal reported that the midfielder is favorable to the transfer, and said Besiktas is making him its priority in midfield.
The talks have been going on for weeks, which explains why the discussion has settled on price rather than principle. Besiktas already had a £10 million offer rejected, while Newcastle United want closer to £17 million, a gap that is narrow enough to bridge and wide enough to keep the move stalled.
Vidal also said a proposal close to €20 million could help unlock the negotiations, which gives a clearer sense of where the compromise may land if either side moves. If that figure is reached, Newcastle would cash in on a player whose future has been unresolved throughout the window instead of risking a contract-year exit with nothing coming back next summer.
The timing is what gives this its edge. With September 1 closing in, Newcastle United must decide whether to hold out for the number it wants or accept that Besiktas’s interest has become serious enough to force a sale on terms the market can bear. For Willock, the next step is simple: either the clubs settle near the middle, or the talk continues into a deadline that leaves far less room to wait.
