Bruce wants to build future around Willock

Newcastle 3-2 West Ham

This victory has allowed Newcastle United to look to the future, and, with manager Steve Bruce looking his most secure for months, he knows who he wants his first summer signing to be – Joe Willock.

Arsenal loanee Willock has been a joyful presence in a largely depressing season on Tyneside, where he has been full of energy and smiles, with enough flashes of quality to suggest he would make an ideal signing.

Willock’s personality has shone since he arrived and he has endeared himself to supporters with three goals in nine appearances, including the late winner against West Ham that moved Newcastle far enough from the drop zone to start planning for next season as a Premier League club.

The 21-year-old knows there is no guarantee Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will use him if he returns and too many young players allow themselves to be talked into fighting for a place at a parent club who need nothing more than injury cover.

Bruce is already publicly wondering whether it is a deal he can get done, pointing out how good it would be “if you could build a team around a player like that”.

There will be plenty of fans who remain dismayed by the prospect of Bruce staying, but the manager has had unflinching support from owner Mike Ashley, even when 97 per cent of fans called for him to be sacked in a poll by the local Evening Chronicle after a run of just two wins in 22 games.

Newcastle’s form is markedly improved and, with takeover talks continuing, Ashley needs his manager to do one thing: keep the club in the Premier League so that he can continue to ask for more than £300 million to sell, which would net him a profit of more than £100 million.