Joe Willock’s agent has been in Istanbul for talks with Beşiktaş over a potential move from Newcastle United this summer.
Turkish journalist Yağız Sabuncuoğlu reports that the Newcastle midfielder’s agent has held and completed talks in Istanbul over the 26-year-old midfielder.
Istanbul talks
He reports that Joe Willock has been offered to Newcastle this summer. As a result of that, his agent recently travelled to Istanbul for transfer talks. He completed those meetings, then left the Turkish city.
According to Sabuncuoğlu’s information, the midfielder is ‘warmly inclined’ towards wearing the Beşiktaş shirt next season.
The Süper Lig side are spending big improving their squad this summer. They’ve already completed a €30m deal for Orkun Kökçü and an €18m deal for Leandro Trossard amid €66.95m of spending early in the window.
How much they would be willing to pay for Willock, who is valued at €14m by Transfermarkt, remains to be seen. Newcastle would presumably want more for a player who cost them €29.4m in 2021.
What do Newcastl want?
But the Magpies find themselves in a difficult position as the 26-years-old’s contract expires next summer. They’re also plotting a major midfield rebuild following the departure of Sandro Tonali. It’s unclear where Willock features in their long-term plans.
They’ve already sign Sean Steur from Ajax, but further additions are likely, with the pursuit of Johan Manzambi, who headed to Aston Villa instead, proof of that.
Perhaps that is why Willock is now assessing his options. His agent travelling to Istanbul would certainly indicate that he wishes to hear their proposal at the very least.
For now, it seems it’s just a case of exploratory talks from Beşiktaş rather than anything serious. But with the first meetings now done between them and Willock’s agent, there’s plenty of incentive for that to develop further in the coming weeks as they continue their big rebuild.
🚨 Beşiktaş’a önerilen, Newcastle United forması giyen Joe Willock’un temsilcisi, transfer görüşmeleri için İstanbul’a geldi. Görüşmelerini tamamlayan isim İstanbul’dan ayrıldı. Oyuncu, Beşiktaş’ta forma giymeye sıcak bakıyor.
— Yağız Sabuncuoğlu (@yagosabuncuoglu) July 21, 2026
