Newcastle United £30m transfer U-turn as striker in 'pole position' ahead of 26-27 season
Will Osula is set to stay at Newcastle United next season after almost leaving last summer.
Will Osula is in ‘pole position’ to start next season as Newcastle United’s number nine.
Osula is ending the current campaign as one of the Premier League’s most in-form strikers after scoring a brace in the 3-1 win over West Ham United on Sunday.
The 22-year-old has now scored five goals in his last six matches and still has one more game to increase that tally as the Magpies head to Fulham on the final day this weekend.
Up until about a month ago, Osula had only ever started one Premier League game for Newcastle after joining from Sheffield United for £15million in the summer of 2024.
Will Osula in ‘pole position’ to lead Newcastle United attack
Now head coach Eddie Howe admits that the young Dane’s form has put him in contention to lead the attack on the first day of next season.
“I gave him an opportunity in the team, I wanted to give him a run of games to try and see what he could do,” Howe explained.
“I think it's very difficult for any player if you're in and out. Sometimes I have to make those decisions where players are in and out, because I have to try and always do what's best for the team and try and get the result in the next game.
“But I felt he did well enough in those early games to warrant leaving him in, and he's really repaid that faith. I think he's been excellent in recent games.
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“His confidence seems to be growing. He's all-round games-improving. He's a player of huge potential. He's got a great pace and power about him. He's a really, really good finisher off both feet, which is very rare.
“He's 6'3, 6'4, which is also a really big bonus for us because of set plays and his hold-up play, and he's got a presence up front, so I think he's got great tools.
“He still needs a lot of development. He still needs to stay very humble and level, because I think there's a lot more to come from him. But he's certainly done very well, and I'm really pleased for him.”
Howe added: “I don't think he could have done any more. He's given us not just the goal return, but also his work ethic and his attitude.
“Being a No. 9 for Newcastle is incredibly difficult. There's a lot of responsibility on that position. Of course, Newcastle have had some iconic No. 9s over the years.
“I think it's a great thing for a player to take on, but the responsibility is the big thing. He needs to continue to develop his game to do that over a longer period of time. Certainly, he's put himself probably in a pole position to do it.”
Will Osula almost left Newcastle United last summer
Had things worked out differently on deadline day last summer then Osula would have been playing his football elsewhere.
Osula had a £30million deal lined up to join Eintracht Frankfurt but it collapsed at the 11th hour. Aston Villa were also considering a move but pulled out due to UEFA financial rules.
Looking back, Howe admits he is “very pleased” Osula didn’t leave.
Howe said: “I think that's a massive thing. You look back now and we're very, very pleased that he didn't.
“He was obviously desperate to play. He was desperate to prove his worth. Again, he had to be patient in the early stages of this season. Sometimes patience is really worth showing.
“I have to praise Graeme Jones, Jason Tindall and a lot of people that have done a lot of work with him. He obviously has to commit to that work, but there's been an incredible amount of development that's gone on in his game since he's been here.
“Will, just firstly as a character, he is very, very unique. He's a good mover. You can see that when he scores. He's got a real character about him. He loves life. He loves football. That energy is sort of endless with him when he's around the training ground.
“For us, sometimes it's getting him to really focus on the details and the job that he needs to do. Because as I said, the responsibility of being Newcastle number nine is big.
“I think there's rough edges to smoothing off, but he does have a great product and we really do appreciate his skills.”
Will Osula set to stay at Newcastle United
There is expected to be interest in Osula again this summer but Howe has already he wants the Copenhagen-born striker to stay.
“I'd definitely like to keep him,” Howe said recently. “I think Will's a player of really rich promise, and he was when we signed him.
“We signed him with the view of developing him to try and build him to become a Premier League player, because that certainly wasn't the player that we recruited.”
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