(Credit Hasan Karim, Breaking Media/Getty Images)

Jack Heath

Tue 5 August 2025 20:54, UK

Newcastle are playing with fire after they let go of Isaac Hayden as their midfield looks extremely exposed in the wake of Joe Willock’s injury.

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Slow transfer negotiations, targets missed, it has been a bizarre window for the Toon off the back of winning their first trophy in 56 years.

The heart of a successful Eddie Howe side, the dogged midfield, is now set up for failure after several outgoings have failed to be replaced.

Sean Longstaff left for Leeds for a reported £12million (Sky Sports) whilst integral rotation player Willock picked up an injury that will see him “out for a number of weeks”, according to the Magpies manager.

The duration of Willock’s injury is still yet to be determined (Credit: Imago)

On top of releasing the outcasted Hayden, the Toon have opened themselves up to be torn apart by injuries to their vital midfield trio with the new season just over a week away.

The lack of foresight is quite simply baffling.

According to The Athletic (5 August), the long-term servant was released from his contract despite having just one-year remaining.

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The 30-year-old signed a contract extension in September 2020 under Steve Bruce which has seen him stay at the club for nine years.

However, after not featuring on Tyneside for three seasons following loans to Belgium and the Championship, the Jamaican was deemed no longer a part of Howe’s future plans.

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Whilst it is understandable the former Hull City man was not cut out to feature in the ex-Bournemouth boss’ first-team dealings, letting him go is an odd decision.

Even if the Jamaican was simply a bench-warmer, he could provide at least some back up in the middle of the pitch.

His exit whittles down the midfield to just four players with some degree of Premier League experience, five if you count the injured Willock.

This is a diabolical situation for perhaps the most crucial part of how Howe strives to play, with high energy and pressing coming from his midfielders.

Newcastle midfielderGames missed through injury 2024-25Joelinton9Bruno Guimaraes0Sandro Tonali0Lewis Miley9The midfield currently available to the north-east side can’t afford to miss any games next season (Source: Transfermarkt)

With the addition of Champions League football, the Toon will be playing even more fixtures next campaign and will be increasingly dependent on the engine of their team.

Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton and Sandro Tonali, although sensational athletes now face an alarmingly increased risk of injuring themselves as their workload ramps up.

Onus will be on Lewis Miley to step in to give the first-team starters a break, but at 19-years-old, his lack of experience is worrying.

Photo Credit: Imago

Should any of the core three suffer injuries from being run into the ground, Howe opens himself up to a catastrophic reality of a restricted squad with non-existent depth.

There also are no signs that the Magpies are eyeing up an immediate replacement given Harvey Elliott of Liverpool still remains available on the market.

This lethargic, short-sighted and poor handling of their players and transfer deals could be the knife in the coffin of Newcastle’s 2025-26 season.

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