Newcastle’s striker shortlist: Five real options after missing out on Pedro and Ekitike

With both Hugo Ekitike drifting towards Liverpool and João Pedro snatched by Chelsea, Newcastle United’s search for a new centre-forward continues. At present, Alexander Isak is the only senior option going into the season following Callum Wilson’s departure from the club. While Osula showed flashes late last season of the player we all hope we can turn out to be, it would be a tremendous leap of faith to expect him to shoulder any consistent goalscoring burden, especially considering he looked more effective attacking from the right wing. If Newcastle are serious, not only about competing on multiple fronts, but in making a statement of intent, major reinforcements in firepower are essential.

There’s also a strategic layer here. While Eddie Howe has typically (read: almost entirely) favoured a 4-3-3 with Isak through the middle, the club’s pursuit of Pedro and Ekitike suggests a desire for more tactical flexibility, someone who can rotate with Isak, play alongside him in a two, or step up as a lead striker if Isak is sold next summer. And ideally, they’re good enough to contribute now without demanding to start every week.

So, who’s out there? Here are five forwards who could genuinely fit the bill, each bringing a different kind of risk, upside, and fit.

Yoane Wissa – efficient, versatile, and under the radar

Wissa isn’t a flashy name, but he had a quietly superb season for Brentford. He finished the 2024–25 campaign with 19 goals and 4 assists in 32.4 90s, all of them from open play. His 0.59 non-penalty goals per 90 exactly matches his non-penalty xG, which suggests he isn’t riding a hot streak or benefitting from luck, he just reliably gets into good areas and finishes chances.

Wissa averaged 2.77 shots per 90 with nearly half hitting the target, and while he doesn’t carry elite creative numbers, he still chipped in with 2.13 shot-creating actions per 90. He contributed 60 progressive carries into the final third, offered tidy link-up play (450 completed passes at a 76.5% rate), and showed he can press from the front. He’s also comfortable drifting wide or playing through the middle.

If Newcastle want a low-drama, high-output forward who won’t disrupt the dressing room or demand to start every match, Wissa is arguably the safest option on this list, but he is the very antithesis of a “statement signing”.

Darwin Núñez – chaos incarnate

If I am being kind to Núñez, he is a player who brings volume and volatility in equal measure. He managed 5 goals and 2 assists in just over 1,100 minutes for Liverpool last season, numbers that look serviceable until you dig deeper. His shot volume was nearly identical to Wissa’s (2.70 per 90), but only 38.2% of them were on target, and he underperformed his xG by almost a full goal. His finishing remains streaky and inconsistent. In short – it’s terrible.

But what Darwin gives you is disruption. He averaged 2.46 shot-creating actions per 90 and carried the ball forward over 500 metres per game. He presses with intensity, creates chaos in backlines, and offers a vertical threat that forces defenders onto the back foot.

The big question is tactical fit. Howe’s system is built around structure, spacing and coordinated pressing. Núñez is unpredictable, wasteful, and emotionally erratic. Unless Howe sees a coaching project worth investing in, it’s hard to imagine the risk matching the reward. It would be a statement signing, but not a statement I’d want us to make.

Victor Osimhen – proven quality, questionable availability

On paper, Osimhen is an elite-level option. He scored 26 goals and added 5 assists for Galatasaray last season in just 2,372 minutes. He racked up over five shots per 90 and remains one of the most physically dominant forwards in Europe when on song. This is a player who hit 65 goals across 108 Serie A games for Napoli and was once seen as a £100m striker-in-waiting.

But context is everything. Those 26 goals came in the Turkish Süper Lig, currently ranked 18th in the world, below the likes of the Czech League, English Champions, and even the MLS. That’s not elite competition. It’s the footballing equivalent of padding your stats in a friendly.

And the bigger red flag? Despite multiple top clubs being in the market for a striker this summer, Osimhen’s name hasn’t surfaced in any serious discussions. Napoli still own him, but the relationship has completely broken down. Even when he was on the market last summer, he could only muster a loan move to Turkey at 25, in his supposed prime. That says far more than his goals tally does.
Osimhen remains a powerful, high-upside striker, but there’s growing noise that he may simply be more trouble than he’s worth. Unless the price craters and the personal terms are manageable, he’s not the kind of gamble Newcastle can afford to make.

Victor Boniface – powerful, direct, but potentially unavailable

Boniface had a stop-start season with injuries but still showed why he’s one of the most physically dominant young strikers in Europe. In 11.2 90s for Leverkusen, he scored 8 goals and provided 1 assist. His non-penalty xG per 90 (0.63) shows he consistently gets into dangerous areas, and his 4.46 shots per 90 reflects a striker who doesn’t hesitate to pull the trigger.

He’s not just a battering ram. Boniface completed 26 progressive carries, beat his marker on 43% of take-ons, and contributed defensively too. His aerial duel success rate was a strong 59.3%, and he brings hold-up play that would give Newcastle a different look when teams sit deep.

But availability is an issue. Leverkusen were rumoured to be open to offers earlier in the summer, but with Erik ten Hag now in post, reports suggest Boniface wants to stay and play under the new manager, though it is thought Leverkusen still want to sell. Unless the player himself shifts his stance, this might be a dead end. Certainly could be an affordable, high upside option.

Benjamin Šeško – the statement signing, but out of reach?

If Newcastle are looking for a long-term No. 9 who could lead the line in the future but rotate now, Šeško might be the best theoretical fit. He scored 13 goals and registered 5 assists for RB Leipzig in just 2,380 minutes last season, largely while being rotated through multiple roles. What makes that output more impressive is how little he needed to get there: just 2.5 shots per 90, yet he overperformed his xG by +3.0. His non-penalty goals per 90 (0.42) don’t jump off the page, but the efficiency does.

Šeško’s all-round profile is what really stands out. He’s 6’4″, wins nearly 60% of his aerial duels, but doesn’t play like a traditional target man. He moves well off the shoulder, can drop into midfield to link play, and doesn’t clog passing lanes. He contributed 51 shot-creating actions and 47 progressive carries, both solid numbers for a striker, and added 5 assists in open play, more than Osimhen, Boniface or Wissa. He’s comfortable playing with his back to goal or running channels, and he rarely forces the issue. There’s a calmness to his game that belies his age.

For a deep dive into why Šeško would be the best target to go for, I highly recommend reading Transfer Sage’s article on him yesterday.

In short: he looks like a high-ceiling modern No. 9. Someone you could build a forward line around over the next three years. But that’s also why this is likely a non-starter.

Šeško was heavily linked to Arsenal earlier this summer, but those talks reportedly collapsed due to wage demands deemed excessive even by their standards. If he priced himself out of a move to the Emirates, there’s no realistic path to Newcastle making that work within our current wage structure, especially for someone who wouldn’t be guaranteed to start ahead of Isak.

Of all the names on this list, Šeško might have the cleanest profile. But in this market, profile means nothing without access. Right now, this feels like a deal we admire from a distance, not one we actually do. But if we really want make a true “statement” signing, then this is the one we should do.

Final word

Newcastle’s striker search was always going to be shaped by budget, system fit, and squad balance. Missing out on Pedro and Ekitike isn’t a disaster, but it does reinforce how specific the brief is: someone who can contribute now, support Isak, and potentially take the reins next season if he moves on.

Wissa is the safest plug-and-play option. Boniface probably offers the highest upside for the price, if he’s even available. Osimhen and Núñez come with baggage. Šeško might be the dream fit… but it’s hard to see the money making sense.

The shortlist is real. Now it’s about how much Newcastle are actually willing to bet on the future. What they do in the next few weeks will be crucial.