OPINION
Newcastle United have faced their fair share of players trying to force their way out of the club – you need only stretch your memory back to Yohan Cabaye and the pursuit from Arsenal.
However, while there is another player looking to leave St James’ Park this summer, the circumstances are very different.
Isaac Hayden has been looking to leave Tyneside and move further south for the last year due to personal issues involving his family but unlike Cabaye, who refused to play, the former Arsenal man has been a true professional, putting everything into his playing time which has cemented him as a mainstay in the starting XI.
The Chronicle report that Midlands duo Aston Villa and West Brom are keen on sealing a deal for the 24-year-old and being around Birmingham would be a much shorter journey to the south than from the north east.
However, the same report claims that Newcastle should be looking for around £15million if they are going to sell up, considering the player’s age, form and top quality performances in the Premier League, and that could well be what ends up frustrating the midfielder.
Simply put, Newcastle cannot afford to sell him for less than what he is worth – that is just not business savvy – and with Rafael Benitez working on a shoestring budget already, an eight-figure fee could go a long way on Tyneside.
It will no doubt be frustrating for Hayden but the manager has to be ready to disappoint his senior star by turning down offers which are not in the club’s best interests – which could include keeping him on for at least another half a season.