Isaac Hayden put contract talks on hold at Newcastle United – here's why

Hayden returned to Newcastle United starting XI for last weekend’s 3-2 win over West Ham United.

The midfielder had sat out the club’s previous three games through suspension following his dismissal in the 5-0 defeat to Leicester City in late September.

Head coach Steve Bruce revealed in August that the 24-year-old was in line for a new contract at St James’s Park.

The 24-year-old is open to extending his stay at the club beyond 2021, when his deal expires, after coming through a difficult time off the pitch.

However, Hayden didn’t think it was right to think about a new contract while he was serving his ban.

“At the minute, I’m just more focused on playing,” said Hayden. “At the end of the day, whenever you get a red card, the only thing on your mind is returning to the team or making a contribution in whatever way you can. That’s what I’ve done.”

Hayden – who also played for Bruce at Hull City – spoke about his suspension after the West Ham game.

The former England international said: “It felt like the longest suspension ever! I think it was five weeks in the end. It was disappointing. But it gave me a lot of time to work, do things that I don’t normally do, get in the gym a bit more, look at things tactically a bit more and look at things from an outside perspective.