‘Right decision’ - Callum Wilson reveals transfer stance amid West Ham links and Newcastle United decision
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Callum Wilson transfer news: The former Newcastle United striker has been linked with a move to West Ham this summer.
Wilson left Newcastle United after five years on Tyneside earlier this month when his contract came to an end. 49 goals in those five years meant Wilson departed as one of the club’s greatest strikers in modern times.
Injury issues, though, plagued his time on Tyneside and particularly the final two years of his time at the club. The 33-year-old made just two Premier League starts in his final campaign and netted just one goal, against League One Birmingham City, in all competitions.
The form of Alexander Isak ahead of him severely limited the opportunities Wilson was afforded by Eddie Howe with the prospect of overthrowing the Swedish international as the club’s first-choice striker disappearing with every week that passed. As a free agent, Wilson is now searching for his next club and reportedly has plenty of suitors interested in his signature.
Newly-promoted side Leeds United have been one of those clubs linked with signing Wilson this summer. Burnley, who were promoted alongside Daniel Farke’s side have also been credited with an interest, although the Burnley Express have recently reported that Wilson is not someone currently under consideration by the Turf Moor outfit.
West Ham, who Wilson enjoys a brilliant goalscoring record against, have also emerged as potential contenders for his signature. Sky Sports have reported that the Hammers are ‘in talks’ with Wilson’s representatives over a potential move for the striker this summer.
Callum Wilson’s transfer stance
Wilson spent the summer as a pundit at the Club World Cup in the USA and revealed to DAZN his potential future plans, including his belief that he can still compete for starting spots in the Premier League: “I am 33. I have still got so much to give in the game,” Wilson said.
“I feel mentally and physically still able to more than contribute in however many games in a season.
“It is just difficult, you are playing at a club when you have got arguably one of the best strikers in world football at the moment, in the form of Alex Isak, to break in is difficult. I am never one who shies away from a fight, I would happily be there to push and take my opportunity when it arose, but it just didn’t seem to arise in the back end of the season.
“I was fit from January, I made two starts and numerous substitute appearances but they were all five or 10 minutes here or there. Alex deserves the right [to play].
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“He had has a fantastic two seasons at the club, all credit to Alex, but I don’t see myself permanently cemented as a number two striker.
“I don’t want the last few years of my career to fizzle out and sit around on the bench and just collect money but not actually contribute to these wins, to these Champions League games, to these cup finals. You want to be part of it, you want to be scoring and assisting in these games and deciding these matches. Being the character I am, being as motivated as I am and ambitious in terms of trying to get into the hundred club and things like that, it was the right decision to leave Newcastle.”