Why William Osula Isn’t Ready For Big Role At Newcastle United

This summer is extremely important for Newcastle United’s future. Signing, and selling, the right players, is paramount to making it competitive in the Premier League and Champions League next season. But there are questions around whether certain squad members can step up to make an impact in Eddie Howe’s first team picture; chief among them is striker William Osula.

Newcastle’s need for more firepower in attack has been well documented for weeks. The club held talks with Liam Delap before he chose to sign for Chelsea, while Lille’s Canadian forward Jonathan David has been on its radar for some time, but a move is looking unlikely. Brighton’s Joao Pedro is the current main target, but no deal is forthcoming at this stage.

Persuading a top player to join and compete with Alexander Isak, who scored 26 goals in all competitions last season, is difficult. Strikers are selfish and often driven by ego; they want to play and score all the time. The idea of not being first choice, as no potential arrival would be, is a tough sell. In the squad already, Callum Wilson, once extremely reliable but now struggling to keep up at the required level, is in talks over a new contract at St James’ Park. But the 33-year-old will not be able to replace Isak on recent evidence.

The other option on the roster is Osula, who is very much at the opposite end of the spectrum to Wilson. Aged 21, the Danish striker joined in a £15m ($20m) deal from Sheffield United last summer; whereas Wilson has the track record and experience but lacks the fitness and physicality, Osula possesses both but is yet to prove himself at Premier League level.

It was clear across the season that he hadn’t gained Howe’s trust, rarely being given an opportunity even if Isak and Wilson were both unavailable, with winger Anthony Gordon deployed centrally instead. Towards the end of the campaign, opportunities grew, as did the clamour for him to be involved, especially after his first league goal in the 3-0 win over Ipswich Town in late April.

There is much to like about Osula’s game; he is big, powerful and works extremely hard, with an edge to his personality which has endeared him to Newcastle’s supporters. But he is raw, lacking the calmness in front of goal that comes in time; his progress has been good, but he wasn’t expected to make an impact on a regular basis even next season. Until now, perhaps.

Osula has been in action for Denmark at the under-21 European Championships. On Sunday, he scored twice in the team’s win over the Netherlands, taking his goal total to three and securing a route out of the group stages. Supporters latched on to his displays to suggest perhaps he may be ready to challenge and support Isak; his goals have been well-taken, he has led the line well and clearly showcased his growth after a year working with Howe. But Wilson was still ahead of him last season even if supporters disagreed; to really prove himself, he must score regularly in a Newcastle shirt. Going into next season needing to build on its success from last year, it simply cannot rely on Osula yet, no matter how well he performs at the tournament.

Osula has been patient at Newcastle

Patience is a virtue for any player under Howe, especially those earmarked for the future. Even Sandro Tonali, Newcastle’s star midfielder, was given time to adjust to his demands both before and after his lengthy ban for breaching gambling rules. Many have drawn comparisons between Osula and Lewis Hall, the fullback who signed from Chelsea and was also used sparingly in his first season before exploding with consistency. Gordon was vocal about his initial struggles in his first six months after joining from Everton in January 2023. Like Osula, he found form at the under-21 Euros, winning Player of the Tournament as England won it, before building on that momentum back with Newcastle.

But the difference between Hall and Gordon and Osula is stark. The former pair joined Newcastle with more experience and expectation on them; they cost a combined £80m ($108m) and had clearer routes into the first team. Playing up front for Newcastle, especially at Champions League level, requires more.

Scoring goals this summer is great for Osula and perhaps it could be the start of some serious development; Newcastle and Howe will certainly hope so. But it is not enough evidence alone that he is ready, no matter what hype surrounds him. He needs to return to Newcastle and build on his form, alongside an experienced new forward option.