William Osula remains a Newcastle United player but his chances of appearing any time soon look remote.
Indeed, Newcastle United insiders rate Osula highly but he has struggled to convince at elite level – albeit in testing circumstances.
The Dane, along with most of his teammates, did not cover himself in glory during Newcastle’s 0-0 draw with Leeds before the international break.
It’s not really Osula’s fault that he was in that position, however. At the time, Alexander Isak was still on a self-imposed exile and new signing Nick Woltemade wasn’t registered in time to play.
Yoane Wissa, at that point, had not joined. All of that thrust Osula into Eddie Howe’s first-team and the 22-year-old struggled on his first Premier League start for the club.
It was a relative surprise, then, that Eintracht Frankfurt and Aston Villa wanted to sign Osula on transfer window deadline day. Villa even agreed a fee, so it appears he came close to leaving.
Bayer Leverkusen had previously been linked too and while he remained at St James’ Park, January could bring fresh movement.
Will Osula in action during Leeds United vs Newcastle United.
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
William Osula could leave Newcastle United in January
According to German outlet BILD, Frankfurt could make another move for Osula in January. In fact, they suggest it is “considered likely”.
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Their first move is thought to have fallen through because Newcastle demanded a £4.3million loan fee, which would have been a record for the German club.
Newcastle’s demand of a £17.3million obligation to buy at the end of the loan stint was also considered too risky.
William Osula now has a mountain to climb at Newcastle United
Howe delivered his verdict on Osula’s performance against Leeds, talking of how impressed he was with the player’s efforts.
The Newcastle United manager said: “I thought he worked really hard, I thought he was very good in different phases. Received a lot of balls to feet, linked play pretty well, held it up for us.
“I thought he had one big chance, – if that was him towards half time, I could be wrong – where he’s had a shot blocked in and around the six-yard box.
“I think that was probably his best moment to score. He’s given his all for the team and that’s all you can ask.”
Still, first-team chances were limited even when Newcastle barely had a striker at the club. Indeed, he arguably only started against Leeds because makeshift centre-forward Anthony Gordon was suspended for the game.
With Wissa and Woltemade now through the door, Osula’s chances look even more remote than they did last season.