18-goal Premier League striker 'pushed to leave' Newcastle United for £15m - set to return to St James' Park
Eddie Howe has been delighted to see Chris Wood flourish at Nottingham Forest since leaving Newcastle United.
Wood joined Newcastle for £25million from Burnley in January 2022 as one of Howe’s first signings. The striker went on to score four goals in 35 Premier League appearances for The Magpies before joining Forest on a loan deal that later became permanent for £15million.
It was a deal that seemed a no-brainer at the time given Wood was behind Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson in the pecking order. And it’s a move that has worked out brilliantly for Wood as he prepares to return to St James’ Park on Sunday (2pm kick-off) one goal clear of Isak in the Premier League scoring charts with 18 goals to his name.
The 33-year-old striker also scored a hat-trick at St James’ Park last season as Forest beat Newcastle 3-1.
Eddie Howe praises ‘outstanding’ Chris Wood
While Howe admitted he didn’t want to lose Wood at the time, the striker’s lack of minutes at Newcastle saw him push for a move to join Forest.
“It's not a choice, we have to trade players out, and at that stage, we had to trade players out as a necessity - obviously the necessity was building upwards as we approached the next window,” Howe said on Wood’s departure.
“But also there was the side for Chris because Chris was, at that stage, not getting the game minutes that he wanted and it was his big push, really, to want to go rather than my wish to lose him.”
Howe added: “I think he's been outstanding. Chris, when he came to us, helped us in a really difficult situation.
“Fighting relegation, we felt we needed a focal point in that position. Somebody who could take a lot of pressure off us as a team and give us a physical presence. I thought he did all those things.
“I thought he was outstanding for the team. Probably often underestimated how much he affected our style and our play that enabled us to stay in the league. He was an ever-present and did really well.
“Then, of course, with Callum's return to fitness and Alex's arrival, he ended up moving on. I'm just delighted for him on a personal level because he's a great character. He gave everything for us.
“Regularly, I can remember him doing so much for the team. Filling in positions, sprinting back, doing things that centre forwards don't normally do.
“He's still doing that for Nottingham Forest, but he's scoring a lot of goals as well and a different variety of goals. I think that's the big plus for him. Headers, goals with his feet, goals on counter-attacks. So, yes, I'm really pleased for him.”
Chris Wood contrast from Newcastle to Forest
Wood joined Newcastle after scoring regularly Burnley and has continued to score regularly since leaving the club to join Forest. But Howe was keen to stress the striker’s importance to his side despite not finding the net as frequently on Tyneside.
“Never doubted Chris’ ability, hence when he was here before signing of Alex and depending on Callum’s availability, he played regularly for us and he played very well,” Howe admitted. “Now he did not score the goals he is scoring now but he was a pivotal part of the team and I remember saying how good I thought he was for us.
“The fact we were winning games and the number we were, in part was down to. him. His general performance was very strong. But it is the variety of goals he has scored [for Forest] that has been so impressive, different array of goals which is making him such a difficult player to mark and our defenders will have to play very well against him this weekend.”