Former Arsenal player, Joe Willock, has spoken out about his departure from the club, criticizing Gunners boss Mikel Arteta for undervaluing him as a player.
Willock, who graduated from Arsenal’s Hale End Academy, played under Arteta during the early months of the Spaniard’s reign but was only given limited opportunities before being loaned out to Newcastle.
During his time with the Magpies, Willock impressed under Steve Bruce, helping to keep the team in the Premier League.
He eventually made the move to Newcastle permanent, feeling that he was unlikely to be given a fair chance at the Emirates Stadium.
In a recent interview with The Daily Telegraph, Willock revealed that it became clear to him that he was not valued at Arsenal.
He explained that during a meeting with the club, it was evident that they wanted him to leave, despite his dedication to the team.
Willock expressed that this realization hurt him deeply, stating: “I’d given my life to Arsenal. I didn’t feel valued anymore, and that was it; I was going to sign for Newcastle after that.”
Joe Willock made his first team debut for Arsenal in September 2017, and he played for the club until the end of the 2020-21 season before joining Newcastle United on a permanent basis in August 2021.
During his time at Arsenal, Joe Willock made a total of 78 appearances for the club and scored 11 goals across all competitions.