Newcastle United ended a long wait for an away win in the Premier League this season with an emphatic 4-1 victory over Everton at Hill Dickinson on Saturday.
Eddie Howe will have been delighted to see how clinical his side were in the final third, as Malick Thiaw scored twice, either side of goals from Nick Woltemade and Lewis Miley.
Woltemade has now scored five Premier League goals this season since his £69 million move from Stuttgart in the summer transfer window, having replaced Alexander Isak.
The Germany international’s impressive form is not good news for everyone at St. James’ Park, however, as it means opportunities for the team’s other attackers have been limited.
Newcastle striker seeks January move
Woltemade is the guaranteed first-choice number nine for the Magpies, as evidenced by ten starts in ten Premier League outings, and that has left another player pondering his future at the club.
According to German media outlet BILD, via Newcastle World, Newcastle United center forward William Osula ‘wants to leave’ St. James’ Park in the January transfer window in search of regular first-team football.
The report claims that Eintracht Frankfurt, who were keen on him this summer, remain interested in a potential deal to get him back from the Magpies before the second half of the campaign.
Newcastle World notes that Frankfurt came close to signing the Dane on a permanent £30million deal in the summer before asking for a loan at the last minute, leading to a breakdown in negotiations.
He adds that with a transfer fee similar to that £30m bid, a transfer could be made in January, and the PIF must now profit from the forward transfer as the German side are prepared to put that kind of money back on the table.
Why Newcastle should sell William Osula
Osula, currently out with an ankle injury, is clearly a talented prospect who could become a key player for the Magpies in the future. He has scored three goals in just 370 minutes this season, according to Sofascore, including a goal against Liverpool in the Premier League.
At 22 years old, the Danish marksman still has most of his career ahead of him to develop and improve, but the question is when and where his development will take place, as he needs to play to progress.
Woltemade is only a year older than Osula and Newcastle have Yoane Wissa returning from injury, meaning there is no visible short-term pathway for him to be a first-choice option for Howe.
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Where would Osula rank in Newcastle’s record sales |
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|---|---|
|
Player |
Costs |
|
Alexandre Isak |
£125 million |
|
Andy Caroll |
£35 million |
|
Elliot Anderson |
£35 million |
|
Yankuba Minteh |
£30 million |
|
Moussa Sissoko |
£30 million |
|
Ayoze Pérez |
£30 million |
|
Will Osula |
£30 million (rumored) |
|
Gini Wijnaldum |
£25 million |
|
Allan Saint-Maximin |
£23 million |
|
Alexander Mitrovic |
£22 million |
|
Fee via Football FanCast |
|
As you can see in the table above, selling the 22-year-old to Frankfurt, or any other team, for £30million in January would make the youngster one of the most expensive sales in the club’s history, with only three players having been sold for more.
Osula was once described by his former teammate Curtis Davies as being like “a poor man’s Haaland” with his physicality in the number nine role, and you got a glimpse of that with the way he pushed his way to score against Liverpool.
However, it doesn’t appear he will get the time on the pitch he needs to fulfill his potential at Newcastle, due to Woltemade and Wissa, which could explain why he now wants to leave the club in January.
PIF and Howe should not stand in his way, as selling him for a potential £30million could be the best possible outcome for all parties involved. Osula could continue to play regular football and find a new home, while the Magpies would have funds to strengthen their squad in other areas.
As good as Thiaw: Newcastle star now ‘one of the best’ PL players
Eddie Howe and Newcastle United have a superstar in the making on their hands.
Therefore, the PIF is expected to fire the Danish striker when the January transfer window opens, if Frankfurt makes a big bid for his services, as it could be the right decision for the club and the player.
