Willems still on Newcastle’s radar - Eintracht Frankfurt’s last chance to receive a fee

A year ago, it seemed almost impossible that left-back Jetro Willems would return to Eintracht Frankfurt from his loan spell at Newcastle United. The 26-year-old Dutchman had been a regular starter at the Magpies before he tore his cruciate ligament on January 18. Since then he has not played a single match. Newcastle have not yet given up hope of a further collaboration with Willems, as the Shields Gazzette reports, however.

According to the report, the Premier League club wants to sound out the possibility of making the 22-time Dutch international return to St. James' Park in January. For Frankfurt, this solution could probably not be better, since Willems’ contract with the Bundesliga aside expires summer. The winter transfer window is therefore the last chance to receive a transfer fee. If Newcastle had exercised their option to sign Willems permanently last season, it would have amounted to €11 million – such an amount is not realistic anymore.

And an extension? German football magazine Kicker had described this option as “rather unlikely” in September. Newcastle have signed an expensive player for the left side in €16.5 million defender Jamal Lewis in the summer – but in Paul Dummett, another option for this position has been missing for a long time and has so far played no role in the senior squad under manager Steve Bruce.