Newcastle United have a new left-back and former PSV Eindhoven and Frankfurt star Jetro Willems should shine in the Premier League.
Luuk de Jong took Jetro Willems’ departure from PSV Eindhoven harder than most.
After six seasons and two league titles in the red and white shirt, the Eredivisie’s most influential full-back packed his bags and left his homeland behind, swapping PSV for Eintracht Frankfurt.
And De Jong was understandably disappointed to see Willems go. After all, it’s fair to say the striker and the full-back had a wonderful relationship at the Philips Stadium.
Load up YouTube, type in ‘Willems PSV assists’, and feast your eyes on an array of glorious crosses, perfectly weighted driven balls and inch-perfect pull backs. Most of those ended with De Jong tapping the ball past a sorry goalkeeper before wheeling away to hail Willems for yet another heavenly assist.
Back in the 2014/15 season, arguably the finest of Willems’ career, he created 14 goals as PSV cruised to the Dutch league title. No wonder De Jong, who greedily gobbled up the defenders crosses time and time again, was sorry to see him go.
“I cannot deny that there was a click between us,” the target man told Eindhovens Dagblad.
After two seasons in the Bundesliga, Willems has now followed in De Jong’s footsteps by signing for Newcastle United.
But while the now-Sevilla striker endured a miserable spell on Tyneside, failing to score in 12 Premier League games under Alan Pardew, Willems should enjoy far more success as a left-wing back in Steve Bruce’s new-look 3-5-2 system.
Joelinton and particularly Andy Carroll, two strikers who love a floated cross, should benefit immensely from Willems’ magical left-foot. Just like De Jong did.
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