A changing of the guard looks set to be on the cards at Newcastle United. Three years after signing Alexander Isak for a club-record fee, the Swedish striker appears to be nearing an acrimonious exit from the club that turned him into a globally recognised star. The fallout has already played out publicly, talks of reneged promises, refusal to join the club’s preseason tour, a rejected bid from Liverpool, Isak jetting off to Spain to train alone and Eddie Howe’s pointed remarks about attitude and commitment.
Whether Isak leaves this window or next, Newcastle United are preparing for life without him. And the clearest signal yet is the pursuit of RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Šeško. A €80 million bid is reportedly on the table, and for all the comparisons and contrasts, one question hangs over the move: Can Benjamin Šeško actually replace Alexander Isak?
Isak: from promising talent to elite-level focal point
When Isak arrived in 2022, he was a 22-year-old with flair and potential, yet question marks lingered over his consistency. In the three seasons he has been at Newcastle, he has answered most of them emphatically.
Across the 2022–25 stretch, Isak evolved from a dangerous forward into one of the most complete attackers in the league. His goalscoring record tells part of the story:
- 0.59 goals per 90 in 2022–23
- 0.84 goals per 90 in 2023–24
- 0.75 goals per 90 in 2024–25
Aside from his goalscoring prowess it’s the all-round contribution that elevated him. Isak became central to Newcastle’s attacking patterns, drifting into wide channels, dropping deep to link with the midfield, and constantly creating disruption with his movement.
In possession, he ranked in the top percentile for progressive carries and was often Newcastle’s best route out under pressure. He received the ball in dangerous areas, contributed creatively (ranking in the top 10% of strikers for key passes), and regularly shouldered the scoring burden, despite carrying injuries throughout each of his first two campaigns.
This version of Isak was the culmination of technical refinement, confidence, and tactical clarity. Losing him would not just be losing goals. It would be losing Newcastle’s attacking reference point.
Šeško: rawer, more vertical, but packed with promise
Šeško, by contrast, arrives with a very different profile. He is not a multi-phase attacker. Not yet. But he is a striker with serious upside.
At 6’5″, he’s physically imposing but deceptively quick. His acceleration and directness in transition are rare for a player of his size. He thrives on minimal touches, space to attack, and vertical service. And while he’s less involved in build-up than Isak, what he does offer is a true penalty-box presence, something Newcastle have lacked.
His breakout 2023–24 campaign saw him score at a rate of 0.83 goals per 90, significantly outperforming his xG. His 2024–25 numbers dipped to around 0.49 goals per 90, but this was within the context of squad rotation, a changing Leipzig setup, and a team that generally struggled in the Bundesliga last season. Despite this, Šeško’s core ingredients: timing, instinct, composure, all remain intact.
In aerial duels, he’s elite. In tight central spaces, he’s effective. And unlike Isak, who often prefers to drift, Šeško plays like a classic No.9, always on the shoulder, constantly threatening the channel or six-yard box.
What he lacks in link play and technical polish, he makes up for in physical tools and goalscoring potential. And at just 22, he has time to develop into something more refined, much like Isak developed under Howe’s tutelage.
Tactical transition: can Newcastle adapt?
The more important question may not be whether Šeško can replace Isak, but whether Newcastle are ready to adapt to what he brings.
Under Eddie Howe, Newcastle have leaned on fluidity. Isak’s mobility allowed wingers like Gordon and Barnes to rotate infield, while Guimarães and Tonali pushed up to support second phases. The shape was often asymmetrical, with Isak roaming to the left and others covering his movement.
With Šeško, that flexibility may need to shift. He’s a more fixed presence. He won’t roam to the flank or carry the ball 30 yards. But in return, Howe gets a focal point. A pressure-relieving option. A player who demands marking, occupies centre-backs, and can pin defences back in a way Isak never really did.
This could unlock more space for wide players, giving the likes of Gordon, Barnes, Elanga and Murphy better lanes to attack. It may also help Newcastle in games where they’ve struggled to break down low blocks, which is something that’s dogged them during Howe’s entire time at the club.
However, it will require change. We will need our midfield to carry more creative weight. Wingers will need to stay wider and deliver earlier. Full-backs will need to overlap with more purpose. Howe may even need to lean into a more transitional or crossing-based system, especially away from home.
But if they build around Šeško’s strengths, he can be the kind of striker who not only scores, but enables others.
A strategic bet, not a like-for-like switch
The wider context matters too. Newcastle are not just choosing between two players. They are making a broader bet on financial sustainability, squad refresh, and long-term development.
Šeško represents a strategic signing:
- He’s younger and on lower wages.
- He fits a long-term asset model.
- He frees up funds for reinvestment in midfield and depth.
Yes, Isak is the more complete player right now. But if his heart is elsewhere, and with the spectre of PSR always looming, if his sale funds further upgrades, then Šeško might not be seen as a downgrade, but rather as a critical pivot point of the Newcastle United project under the new ownership.
This is how smart clubs operate. They don’t panic. They plan. And if Šeško’s ceiling is as high as many scouts believe, Newcastle may look back and see this summer not as the moment they lost Isak, but the one where they gained something even better suited to what comes next.
Final verdict
Can Benjamin Šeško replace Alexander Isak?
Not in the sense of replicating everything Isak does, but in the sense of stepping into the role, scoring goals, and helping Newcastle evolve tactically?
Yes, absolutely.
He brings something new: vertical threat, aerial power, youth, and room to grow. If given time and trust, he could be the next attacking cornerstone at St James’ Park, a player who doesn’t copy Isak, but who leads in his own way.
And maybe that’s exactly what this moment calls for.
