Newcastle United and the search for a new No 9: assessing the contenders for 2026‑27

With the 2025‑26 Premier League season entering its final month and Newcastle United already looking toward a transitional summer, striker recruitment has once again come sharply into focus. Alexander Isak’s exit last summer reshaped the attack entirely, and with Yoann Wissa now expected to be moved on after a single, largely underwhelming campaign as the club’s No 9, Eddie Howe faces another pivotal decision.

This, however, is not about replacing Isak. Newcastle’s next striker must reflect a new phase: one shaped by PSR restrictions, tactical pragmatism and a need to redistribute goals across the front line. Against that backdrop, four names continue to surface, Omar Marmoush, Nicolas Jackson, Igor Thiago and Endrick, each representing a very different interpretation of what Newcastle’s next striker could be.

Omar Marmoush (Manchester City)

Marmoush’s mid‑season move to Manchester City in January 2025 elevated his profile, but it has also clarified his role. He is not a Guardiola centre‑forward in the classic sense; he is a pressure‑forward, valued for intensity, movement and positional fluidity rather than volume finishing.

In the 2025‑26 season, with four league games remaining, Marmoush has played a rotational role for City. In the Premier League he has one goal and three assists from limited starts and substitute appearances, with an expected goals tally that broadly aligns with that output rather than dramatically lagging behind it. Across all competitions, he has six goals and three assists, again closely matching his xG and xA figures. This is not a striker missing chances — it is a striker not being asked to live exclusively in the box.

Looking back to 2024‑25, primarily at Eintracht Frankfurt before his City move, Marmoush delivered double‑figure goal contributions, with shot quality and chance generation underpinning the output. His value was not just scoring, but how he stretched defensive lines, led pressing triggers and carried the ball aggressively in transition.

For Newcastle, that skillset is appealing. Without Isak, Howe’s side lack a forward who can connect midfield to attack while maintaining tempo off the ball. Marmoush could lead the press, drift laterally to open channels, and function without the team becoming reliant on crosses or penalty‑box dominance.

Availability is the key question. Manchester City are unlikely to sanction a cut‑price permanent exit, but a loan, particularly one aligned with City’s desire to keep squad depth flexible, would significantly reduce PSR pressure and make Marmoush a viable option.

Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea / Bayern Munich)

Jackson’s reputation remains polarising in England, but his 2025‑26 loan spell at Bayern Munich has quietly reframed the conversation. Used more selectively and in a more vertical system, he has delivered 13 goals and six assists across Bundesliga and Champions League football, with expected goals closely tracking actual output, a notable correction from earlier inefficiencies.

This improvement matters because Jackson’s underlying traits have never been in doubt. He runs relentlessly, presses willingly, stretches defences vertically and occupies centre‑backs even when he is not finishing moves. For Eddie Howe, those qualities matter as much as box output.

The contrast with 2024‑25 is instructive. At Chelsea, Jackson scored 10 Premier League goals and added five assists, but his xG was meaningfully higher. He generated chances at a respectable rate but missed too many high‑value opportunities, fuelling frustration and scrutiny. That finishing variance, rather than structural failure, was what undermined his standing.

From Newcastle’s perspective, context matters. A striker who presses, runs channels and creates space for wide players can still raise the collective floor even if finishing remains imperfect. The question is one of risk management. Chelsea’s bloated forward line and Bayern’s lack of obligation to buy mean Jackson’s future remains unsettled, precisely the type of situation where a loan could emerge.

If Newcastle can access Jackson without long‑term financial commitment, they would be acquiring a forward who aligns with Howe’s tactical preferences while insulating themselves from downside risk.

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Igor Thiago (Brentford)

If Newcastle want clarity, Igor Thiago is it. The Brentford striker has been one of the Premier League’s most efficient scorers in 2025‑26. With four matches left, he has 21 league goals from 32 starts, backed by an expected goals figure just above 19. That suggests strong finishing, but not unsustainable over‑performance.

Thiago’s profile is immediately distinct from the others. He is a true No 9: physically dominant, powerful in aerial duels and highly effective at converting pressure into territory. He allows a team to play direct without becoming blunt, and his presence alone changes how defences set up.

For Newcastle, Thiago would offer something they currently lack: a focal point capable of sustaining attacks and punishing low blocks. However, Brentford’s position is clear. With a long‑term contract and no financial pressure to sell, they will hold out for a substantial fee. A loan is certainly off the table.

This makes Thiago the cleanest footballing solution and the most difficult strategic one. Committing significant capital to a single striker carries risk in a PSR‑constrained environment, even when the output looks reliable.

Endrick (Real Madrid)

Endrick remains projection more than conclusion, but his trajectory is accelerating. After limited first‑team exposure at Real Madrid, his minutes were carefully managed, and in 2025‑26 he has begun to translate potential into tangible contribution during a loan spell designed for development rather than protection.

This season he has contributed goals and assists at a modest but encouraging rate, with expected goals indicating that his output reflects chance quality rather than opportunism. He is aggressive, quick over short distances and unafraid to engage defenders, traits that suit a high‑energy Premier League environment.

In 2025‑26, despite limited starts, he scored seven goals across competitions, largely from rotational minutes. The underlying numbers were promising but incomplete; the sample was small, but the efficiency stood out.

For Newcastle, Endrick would not be a finished product. He would be a controlled gamble, one that adds volatility and upside without an immediate requirement to lead the line. Real Madrid’s historical comfort with loans for elite prospects suggests availability is plausible, particularly if the guarantee is minutes rather than trophies.

Crucially, a loan deal would carry minimal PSR impact, making this an attractive option for a club balancing ambition with restraint.

Summary: flexibility over fixation

Newcastle’s striker search is no longer about landing the answer. It is about maintaining flexibility while the squad recalibrates after Isak’s departure and Wissa’s likely exit.

Igor Thiago offers certainty but at a price Newcastle may struggle to justify. Marmoush, Jackson and Endrick all become considerably more appealing if framed as loans, short‑term solutions that raise performance levels without locking the club into irreversible financial commitments, and allow the club to get a look close up, before committing even more money to the position.

The mistake Newcastle cannot repeat is chasing permanence too early. The next No 9 does not need to define an era. He needs to stabilise one, and allow Newcastle the freedom to take their next step deliberately rather than desperately.