Unai Emery expressed his delight over Joe Willock signing a contract extension with Arsenal.
The Englishman earned a lot of praise for his recent performances after finally breaking through to the senior squad this season.
Willock’s new deal is set to last till June 2023. He impressed Emery enough in the pre-season to earn a string of starts under the Spanish manager.
When asked if the 20-year-old has a big future at Arsenal, Emery said, “Yes, it’s very good news. He’s young, he has energy, he has quality, skill. He is hungry for helping us to be here. It’s a good decision for him and for us.”
Willock has so far mainly played in a central midfield role even though his ideal position is that of an attacking midfielder. He showcased his adaptability and put in solid shifts against the likes of Newcastle United, Burnley and Liverpool.
He is facing a lot of competition for one of Emery’s midfield spots but with the number of games Arsenal have to play this season, Willock has more than a fair shot of receiving regular playing time.
Emery will be hoping to develop Willock alongside Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira to form the young midfield core at North London. Otherwise, Dani Ceballos will handle the responsibilities, at least until the end of this campaign. Mesut Ozil is also expected to return at some point while Granit Xhaka is already a constant in Emery’s books and now, a club captain.
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