Isaac’s dream of playing in the top flight

ISAAC Hayden turned down Premier League offers to move to Newcastle United – but is determined to play top-flight football with the Magpies next season.

The 22-year-old midfielder achieved promotion via the play-offs during a season-long loan at Hull City last summer, but elected to leave parent club Arsenal once that temporary move ended in search of regular first-team football.

However, Hayden did not come to St James’ Park to play in the Championship long term – the aim was to achieve promotion and become established in the Premier League.

“That was the aim,” the England Under-21 international replied when asked if promotion was always the ambition.

“I don’t think this club at the start of the season wanted to stay in the Championship.

“It was a club of great ambition and with the manager we have got, I knew from the start the aim was to get into the Premier League.

“I have not played in the Premier League, so for me, that’s the ultimate goal, to be a regular Premier League player. “If you ask any young player, they would want to be in the Premier League. “For me, it would be fantastic to get back there and actually get a proper chance of being a Premier League player because obviously at Arsenal, it didn’t happen.” Although Premier League clubs – including Hull – wanted to sign Hayden, he was reluctant to trade one top-flight side for another and risk spending the season in and out of the first team.

Instead, Hayden wanted to earn Rafa Benitez’s trust at Newcastle, and then establish himself as a Premier League player with United.

“I didn’t want to go straight from a Premier League club of the stature of Arsenal to then try to get in at a Premier League club again.

“I needed the chance to actually improve as a player to get to the level of being a Premier League player because you don’t want to go from Premier League to Premier League and then be in the same position and not play because you don’t improve.

“For me, this was the best club for me.”

Hayden hopes the Magpies can reclaim their top-flight status at home.

“The fans this season, for me, have been unbelievable,” Hayden added.

“To be relegated and then to have the same, if not more, support the next season, it’s amazing.

“The fans have backed us home and away in their numbers.

“Now it’s down to us as players to go out and do it on the pitch.”