· 11 July 2025, 18:31
**At one point, Callum Wilson was Newcastle United's second all-time leading goal scorer in the Premier League before Alexander Isak bumped him down to third place.**
That should be a big enough sign of how important a player Callum Wilson was for Newcastle during his five years on Tyneside, especially in those pre-takeover years when the club was at an all-time low.
Other than Wilson's goals and Allan Saint-Maximin's tricks, there wasn't much else to get excited about, so we'll always be grateful to Wilson for that.
Unfortunately, there's a very real possibility that Wilson will be remembered more for his injuries than his goals as time goes on.
Callum Wilson is mulling over his next steps
Callum Wilson wants more minutes on the pitch
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The 33-year-old had plenty of time to consider his options this summer before making his decision to leave, and the former England striker has spoken to the iPaper about the decision and what led to him realising it was best to move on.
> “Staying at Newcastle with the Champions League and off the back of winning a trophy, signing all these players, it all sounds great and looks great, but for me as a player, when you’re not being able to contribute like you feel you could contribute, it doesn’t feel the same.“If I was at a point where I was content with what I’ve done in my career and want to see the last few years fizzle out, sitting around and helping younger players then not a problem. But I still feel I can do that as well as play on the pitch.“For me, looking at the bigger picture, Alex \[Isak\] has done fantastic last season and the season before so it’s difficult to get minutes.
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> “It’s OK, it’s not a problem but sometimes he’s not even coming off. It was five minutes here and there and I want more for myself. That was basically my decision.”
Wilson would often play when not fully fit causing longer layoffs
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Wilson also spoke about the injury record that threatened to make him infamous rather than revered.
> “With the games I did miss in my time there I should have been in the clear and long gone but it just happens.“Nobody likes to get injured, no-one wants to get injured and a lot of the time it was because I was selfless and put myself forward to play in games when I wasn’t 100 per cent fit to try and help the team because we might not have had a striker. It was to the detriment of myself and that’s why I then had these setbacks.“Of course I could have sat down and said ‘No actually I’m not going to play’ and stuff like that but I came to the club to help the club and do a job for them.
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> “When I’m working with a manager I have so much respect for and have worked with for so many years I would basically, for my staff and teammates, do anything in my powers to help. That’s what I did do and unfortunately, like I say, I had my fair share of setbacks because of it. But I wouldn’t change anything.”
Callum Wilson will now go abroad for fitness training while he assesses his options ahead of the new season.