Eddie Howe has already found Newcastle United's next No.9 as PIF save £60m
Will Osula has blown the No.9 debate wide open at Newcastle United - should he lead the line at St James’ Park next season?
Two months is an eternity in football. Few players understand the fast-paced nature of the sport better right now than Will Osula.
Considered a maverick, a wildcard and, in most people’s eyes, Newcastle United’s fourth-best option up front just eight weeks ago, the Dane is now lapping up the praise as a potential bearer of the iconic No.9 jersey. This is what Osula has craved upon arrival.
When Toon chiefs took a punt on the Dane in August 2024, they bought potential rather than polish. He was not even a starter for Sheffield United in the Championship but his God-given attributes piqued Newcastle’s interest.
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At 6ft 4in and blessed with blistering pace, Eddie Howe had a nucleus to work with. An eccentric personality was almost as wild as his playing style. Cult-hero status appeared a possibility - but now he is dreaming bigger.
Osula’s profile drew comparisons to Alexander Isak. It is perhaps no surprise that he has evolved into his potential replacement in Howe’s high-intensity system.
A three-week break following the crushing Sunderland defeat in March sent the Toon boss back to the drawing board. Admittedly, eyebrows were raised when Osula’s name was on the team sheet at Crystal Palace.
He repaid that faith with a scrappy goal in a 2-1 defeat. Further strikes against Bournemouth, Brighton and a brace against West Ham United have fuelled debate surrounding Osula’s future.
Until recently, few Newcastle fans would have begrudged the club for cashing in on the prospect this summer. After all, he came within a whisker of leaving the Magpies on deadline last year until Eintracht Frankfurt changed the terms at the final hurdle.
The Gazette understands Newcastle were considering entering the market for a striker despite boasting Osula, Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa in their ranks. Fast forward to the present and there is a growing sentiment that Osula’s emergence could save up to £60million in today’s market.
Would the Magpies cash in if an interested suitor came calling? Anyone looking to prise Osula from St James’ Park would need to stump up significantly more than the £35million Frankfurt almost paid in September.
One school of thought points to the lesson of Miguel Almiron’s sale. Newcastle failed to strike while the Paraguayan’s stock was at its highest, but Osula’s age and ceiling make this an entirely different debate.
Howe told a packed press room post-West Ham that Osula is in pole position to start next season up front. He doubled down yesterday - insisting the maverick has more unrealised potential in his locker.
"I think his form has been a great boost for us all,” Howe said. “He has deserved the opportunity, and he has taken it. He is only going to get better.
“He is at a really good age, lots of things to continue to work on, there are lots of untapped areas we can develop, the ceiling in his development is really high. He has the raw ingredients, the physical profile too."
Osula - flying high after bagging three goals at the under-21s Euros last summer - publicly demanded more game time. He waited patiently for Howe to answer the call but, when the opportunity arose, he took it with both hands.
This is not to proclaim Osula as the second coming of Jackie Milburn, Malcolm Macdonald, Alan Shearer et al. But the ace up Howe’s sleeve to lead the next wave of Toon attack might have been hiding in plain sight all along.
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