Newcastle United may be relying on striker Alexander Isak to lead the line effectively as they chase a top-four finish in the Premier League, but the Swede is one of the best forwards in England.
In seven games for club and country this term, Isak has scored four times while grabbing one assist, emerging as a key player for both Newcastle and Sweden.
If he remains healthy, a consistent run in the starting XI will give Eddie Howe and his men the ideal chance to secure a return to European competition.
Could this perhaps mark the end of Callum Wilson’s spell at the Magpies?
Callum Wilson’s Newcastle statistics
The striker joined the Toon in 2020, costing £20m from Bournemouth. The Englishman had scored 67 goals for the Cherries during his spell on the south coast.
He impressed in the Premier League, which saw Newcastle snap him up, where he has continued to shine. Indeed, over the previous four seasons, the Englishman has scored a very respectable tally of 48 goals in 108 matches, meaning he registers a goal nearly once every two matches.
Callum Wilson’s Premier League statistics | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Season | Games | Goals | Assists |
2023/24 (Newcastle) | 20 | 9 | 1 |
2022/23 (Newcastle) | 31 | 18 | 5 |
2021/22 (Newcastle) | 18 | 8 | 0 |
2020/21 (Newcastle) | 26 | 12 | 5 |
2019/20 (Bournemouth) | 35 | 8 | 1 |
2018/19 (Bournemouth) | 30 | 14 | 9 |
2017/18 (Bournemouth) | 28 | 8 | 2 |
2016/17 (Bournemouth) | 20 | 6 | 0 |
2015/16 (Bournemouth) | 13 | 5 | 0 |
Since the beginning of the 2022/23 campaign, however, Wilson has missed 42 matches in all competitions, failing to reach the heights of his first couple of years in the north-east.
With the signing of Isak two years ago, Wilson’s stature in the team is very much playing second fiddle to the Swedish gem, but when fit, he can still provide a solid option for Howe to call upon.
Isak might not be at the club for much longer should he maintain his current form, though.
What the future holds for Alexander Isak
Following a wonderful campaign, the summer transfer window saw Isak begin to attract attention from elsewhere. Indeed, Chelsea were just one of the clubs looking to make a move for the former Borussia Dortmund striker in a bid to strengthen their attack.
With the Toon missing out on Europe ahead of the new season, it was only natural for the supporters to be worrying whether Isak would still be at the club, particularly when considering his desire to play in the Champions League.
Nothing materialised and he has been playing well so far. The Swede will move on from St James’ Park eventually, but Howe will be hoping to get as many years out of him as possible.
The talk of replacements will soon arise. Do the Magpies have a player in their academy who could potentially be the next Isak, however?
Newcastle’s next Isak
Over the previous few years, Newcastle hasn’t exactly been a breeding ground for prodigious young talent.
Yes, Andy Carroll departed for Liverpool in 2011 for a staggering fee of £35m, having emerged from the academy to first-team regular, but since their promotion back to the top flight in 2017, the club have been starved of youngsters looking to make an impression in the first team.
Lewis Miley broke through to the first team aged just 17 last season, making a total of 26 appearances, which included three in the Champions League. The 18-year-old could be the next academy graduate to secure the club a major profit in the next few years, no doubt about that.
Another name on some people’s lips is that of Ben Parkinson. A year older than Miley, the 19-year-old made his debut last season too, coming on as a substitute against Bournemouth in November 2023 during a 2-0 defeat.
The youngster was also on the bench during the Champions League games against both PSG and Dortmund, yet failed to make an appearance.
Operating as either a right-winger or centre-forward, Howe has a player who could become important in the coming years, especially judging by his form for the U18s and U21s recently.
11 goals and five assists came during his time with the younger age group, while he has made the step-up to the older group with ease, registering ten goal involvements in just 28 matches.
He trained with the first team on numerous occasions last term, which earned him praise from U21 coach Ben Dawson, who said: “Ben’s had a longer period than most, in terms of days spent with the first-team group, and you can see that in some of his play.
“He’s always had that knack of being in the right place at the right time and was fortunate enough to be in the right place to score tonight which should have been the goal that killed the game off.”
Wilson has less than a year left on his contract, while Isak’s future could come into question should Newcastle fail to make the Champions League this season.
While both may not leave at the same time, a player like Parkinson could potentially take full advantage of some gaps in the squad to emerge as a first-team player in the next few months.
The teenager has trained plenty of times with the senior side, while also making the bench various times last term, suggesting he won’t be fazed by whatever Howe throws at him.
Should he succeed, it could inspire plenty of other academy players to follow suit in the coming years.
