Arsene Wenger has revealed why he sold Isaac Hayden to Newcastle.

The midfielder didn’t appear to have progressed as much as we needed him to at Arsenal, even after loan spells he still hovered around the fringes of the senior team without really troubling anyone for a spot.

Wenger decided that it was in Hayden’s best interests to allow him to leave in order to get more playing time elsewhere.

“He couldn’t get the chance here and I decided to let him go and have an opportunity,” the boss said.

“At 21 years of age, you need to play or you stand still – and if you stand still you waste your career.

“He’s very intelligent and very good physically as well, he has good strength.

“I remember some games he played, like at West Brom in the League Cup where he did extremely well, and I gave him a chance to go up to Hull [on loan].

“It went quite well, they liked him and they wanted to buy him as well. I think Newcastle is a good opportunity for him.”

It’s a good move for both the 21-year-old and the club. He wasn’t going to add to our senior squad and, at his age, he would, as Wenger says, just be wasting his time at Arsenal. At Newcastle, he has a real chance of playing and therefore progressing as he should.

Hopefully, Hayden can go on to embrace his new role at his new club. He’s still young enough to become something great if he’s given the chance.