Championship duo Sheffield Wednesday and West Bromwich Albion are set to battle it out for Newcastle United midfielder Isaac Hayden, according to journalist Darren Witcoop.
The 28-year-old has been at St James Park since 2016, making 171 appearances for the club before falling out of favour last season. He joined Norwich City on a season-long loan last July, but suffered an injury-hit campaign and he departed Carrow Road having featured just 14 times.
It looked as if the former England under 21 international was set to secure a temporary move to Premier League newcomers Luton Town, but the deal collapsed earlier this week. Newcastle remain keen on finding him a home for the season and another move to the second tier appears to be on the horizon.
Witcoop claims that both Sheffield Wednesday and West Bromwich Albion have made contact with Newcastle over a potential deal.
West Brom and Sheffield Wednesday among the Championship clubs to have asked Newcastle about taking midfielder Isaac Hayden on loan. Hayden saw a move to Luton collapse this week. Fellow Magpies outcast Jeff Hendrick also heading to the second-tier. #WBA #swfc #owls #NUFC
— Darren Witcoop (@DarrenOWitcoop) August 31, 2023
The Owls are desperate to add quality additions to their squad before the transfer window closes tomorrow as they look to turn around their dreadful start to life in the Championship. Last season’s League One play-off winners have lost all of their opening four games and are currently rooted to the foot of the table. They also suffered a shock Carabao Cup exit earlier this week when League Two’s Mansfield Town progressed to the third round at Hillsborough on penalties.
It doesn’t get any easier for the Yorkshire club this weekend when they travel to Elland Road to take on a rejuvenated Leeds United.
By contrast, West Brom have enjoyed a steady start and sit in 7th on seven points. Manager Carlos Corberan is still looking for one or two additions before close of play tomorrow and Hayden could prove to be a valuable asset, providing he can stay fit.
Writer’s View
Isaac Hayden is a player that could prove to be a shrewd acquisition for either club, but question marks continue as to his long-term fitness. He has yet to feature for Newcastle this season, but it could be a gamble worth taking, particularly for Sheffield Wednesday.
The Owls need to get something out of their clash with Leeds at the weekend to avoid going into the international break on zero points. Hayden is proven at Premier League level and could certainly do a job at Hillsborough. However, whether the player fancies a Championship relegation battle is another matter altogether.
