Newcastle United had Jetro Willems on loan in the 2019/20 season.

The left-back was secured on a season-long deal from German club Eintracht Frankfurt, and he became a star for manager Steve Bruce.

In total, the Netherlands international made 20 appearances in all competitions, scoring twice, against Liverpool and Manchester City, and registering two assists.

However, his loan spell ended with something of a whimper.

The 26-year-old sustained a cruciate ligament rupture against Chelsea in January, leaving him in the treatment room and ending his stay in the north east prematurely.

Willems admitted at the time that he was “sad it ended like that”, but it appears that he could now have a second chance to make an impact with the club.

The Shields Gazette reports that the Magpies are currently exploring a move for Willems in the January transfer window.

They made an enquiry for the player in the summer but were told that he was unlikely to be fit before the deadline; they signed Jamal Lewis from Norwich City instead.

The 26-year-old’s current contract is set to expire at the end of the season, meaning he could well be available for a knock-down fee in the January transfer window.

He has yet to play in 2020/21 and is valued at £4m by Transfermarkt.

GIVEMESPORT’S Harry Sherlock says…

There’s a whiff of romance about this potential deal.

Willems was bitterly unlucky during his first spell at Newcastle, having become the club’s first-choice left-back.

He impressed against the best teams in the league and could be snapped up for a relatively small sum.

There is no guarantee, of course, that he will quite be the player he once was after a genuinely serious injury.

But bringing him back to England and giving him a shot at redemption is a lovely idea, and will surely warm the heart of even the most jaded Magpies supporter.