ISAAC HAYDEN has pleaded with Newcastle United to be allowed to leave this summer, and underlined his determination to put family matters ahead of footballing concerns.

Hayden submitted a transfer request at the start of the summer, citing ‘exceptional family reasons’ as his motivation for seeking a move away from Tyneside just two years after he joined the Magpies from Arsenal.

Hayden’s partner recently gave birth to a daughter, and it is understood that complications have forced her to relocate to the South-West with the pair’s child.

Understandably, Hayden is keen to move closer to his family, but despite Brighton having expressed an interest in setting up a £10m deal, Rafael Benitez is adamant he does not want to lose the midfielder this summer.

The Newcastle manager recently confirmed he was trying to find a ‘solution’ to the situation, but having played an influential role in the Magpies’ Championship title triumph in his first year at the club, Hayden feels he has earned the right to some sympathetic treatment.

“The club know my stance,” said the 23-year-old, who made his first pre-season appearance in Tuesday’s 2-2 draw at Hull City. “I spoke to them at the start of the summer. I spoke to the manager, I spoke to the club.

“I let them know about the situation. I’ve done my bit for the club. I helped the club get promoted and I helped the club stay in the Premier League last season.

“I just hope that they can find a solution to help me with my situation. If not, I’m a professional, so I’m going to do my job, but they know my stance. It’s not changed.”

Having enjoyed his two seasons on Tyneside, Hayden admits he thought long and hard before deciding to submit a formal transfer request.

His agent, Simon Kennedy, has been negotiating on his behalf, but while Benitez has sympathy for Hayden’s position, he is justifiably concerned about whether he would be able to replace the midfielder if he allowed him to leave.

Ki Sung-yueng arrived on a free transfer earlier this summer, but the South Korean was effectively a replacement for Mikel Merino, who exploited a clause in his contract to join Real Sociedad.

If Hayden was to leave for around £10m, there is no guarantee Benitez would receive a similar sum to reinvest, hence the Magpies manager’s reluctance to hold meaningful discussions with Brighton.

Both sides understand the other’s position, but Hayden will continue to prioritise the needs of his family above the concerns of his employers.

“It’s a decision I didn’t come to very easily, but it was a decision I had to make,” he said. “Football’s obviously important to me, but family’s a completely different ball game and, for me, family takes precedence over football.

“I didn’t want to have to make the decision I made, but I felt there was no other alternative. I spoke with the club about it at the start of the off-season so they had plenty of time to be aware of it, but things haven’t materialised how I hoped they’d materialise.

“But like I said, I’m still a professional. Whatever happens at the end of the window, I have to deal with it.”

The transfer window will close in two weeks’ time, and Hayden is still hoping Newcastle officials can engineer a resolution to the current impasse before the August 9 deadline.

He accepts he will have to accept the reality of the situation if a transfer cannot be agreed, and the fact he has been so open about his situation in the last few days suggests he will not become a disruptive influence if his request is denied.

Nevertheless, it would hardly reflect well on Benitez if he was to force Hayden to remain on Tyneside against his will, and then, as is distinctly possible, walk away himself when his contract expires at the end of the season.

“My stance hasn’t changed,” reiterated Hayden. “The club know my stance hasn’t changed – it’s just about trying to find a solution which works best for the football club and works best for me.

“I’ve done my bit over the last two years to get this football club back kind of where it belongs in the top ten of the Premier League, and I just hope they recognise that and help me with a solution.”