Newcastle and the Spending Paradox: Joe Willock, the 'New Chris Wood' Who Cost IDR 1 Trillion

Newcastle United faces a classic dilemma in its ambitious project: heavy investment does not always translate into results on the pitch. Joe Willock, the midfielder signed permanently in 2021, has become a symbol of waste that echoes the Chris Wood case. The total cost spent on Willock—including transfer and wages—reaches £47 million, a staggering figure for minimal contribution.

Willock initially showed promise while on loan from Arsenal in the 2020/21 season. In 14 appearances, he scored eight goals, convincing Newcastle's management to pay £20 million to sign him permanently. However, that form never continued. In 175 matches since the permanent transfer, Willock has scored only 14 goals—just six more than during his loan spell of only 14 games. Since the start of the 2024/25 season, he has even been a squad player, with the majority of his minutes coming in cup competitions.

This story is not the first of its kind. Previously, Newcastle spent £25 million to bring Chris Wood from Burnley in January 2022. Wood, then regarded as a proven Premier League striker, scored only five goals in 39 appearances before being sold to Nottingham Forest for £15 million—a 50 percent loss. Ironically, Wood shone at Forest with 41 goals, while Newcastle had to swallow a bitter pill.

Drawn into the Indonesian context, this phenomenon resembles expensive player purchases by Liga 1 clubs that often fail to meet expectations. For example, several big clubs such as Persija Jakarta or Persib Bandung have spent large sums on foreign players who failed to shine. However, unlike Newcastle, which has Saudi PIF resources, Indonesian clubs must be more cautious due to financial constraints. The lesson for Indonesian club management: evaluate based on data and tactical needs, not just big names.

"Willock is now starting to become the next Wood at Newcastle, a player once thought to be able to take the club forward but who has now reached his limit," wrote a Football FanCast analyst.

Newcastle's management under Eddie Howe has indeed improved the quality of recruitment in recent years, taking the club to the Champions League. However, the Willock and Wood cases show that gaps remain in transfer decision-making. With the strict Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), any waste could affect the club's financial flexibility in the future.

Going forward, Newcastle must take decisive action soon. Selling Willock, even at a cut price, would be better than continuing to burden the wage structure. The question is, will any club be willing to take on a 27-year-old midfielder with declining form? Or will Newcastle have to bear an even bigger loss? Time will tell, but one thing is certain: the era of spending without calculation must end soon if the club wants to compete at the highest level.