OPINION
Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley is surely thrilled how well Newcastle United midfielder Isaac Hayden is currently doing as it will surely drive up the player’s price in the summer.
The 23-year-old midfielder has been regularly featuring for the Magpies since the end of 2018 and in recent weeks has proven himself to be key to Rafa Benitez’s side.
Yet while normally this will have fans thrilled more than Ashley, the Magpies owner is more likely the one enjoying what he is witnessing from Hayden.
This is because the midfielder has made it clear that he wishes to leave St James Park to be closer to his family and as a result he is likely to to be on the move in the summer.
“It is unchanged and the club have known that from day one,” Hayden told the Chronicle in January.
“It wasn’t going to change. My family, my partner and daughter will always come first.
“Football is football but family is more important.
“The club have had conversations already. Hopefully a solution can be found.”
While the wantaway midfielder has been impressing since that interview, he did reiterate his desire to be closer to his family during an in-depth interview with The Times in March.
This means the best the Magpies can hope for regarding the player’s form, is that it leads to other teams being willing to pay more money for him.
Sky Sports’ dedicated Premier League Twitter account shared on Tuesday that Hayden had covered 113.2km during his league outings 2019 so far which is the sixth highest in the division.
? Going the distance
? Free-kick technique
? Finding the right roleHow James Ward-Prowse is flying under Ralph Hasenhuttl at Southampton and pushing for an England recall: https://t.co/3DOqLqhdKf pic.twitter.com/gz911o7VUU
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) March 12, 2019
Impressive stats like this are only going to attract suitors for Hayden which in turn means Ashley is likely rubbing his hands together as teams may battle for the player’s signature.
This is especially the case when you consider that Hayden has plenty of Premier League experience, which seems to bump up a player’s value, and it’s an ideal age where a side will be willing to invest.
If the midfielder continues to excel, who knows how much Ashley might be able to demand for him when the summer window opens.