Newcastle United haven't made the best of starts to the 2025/26 season, but now that the elephant has been excavated from the room, Eddie Howe might feel a little more chipper about his side's chances over the coming months.
Against Liverpool last month, Newcastle played with the passion and fervour and ability of an elite outfit. And that's because the Magpies are of top class, so well coached and so well shaped by careful transfer business since Howe and PIF first arrived.
On the scoresheet at St. James' Park that evening was Hugo Ekitike, who was billed as Alexander Isak's potential replacement at Newcastle.
Ekitike-Liverpool-Bournemouth-Premier-League
However, both ply their trade for Liverpool.
Why Newcastle wanted Hugo Ekitike
Ekitike has scored three goals and provided one assist since joining Liverpool from Eintracht Frankfurt in July, proving that he has the prolific nature to partner his wide-ranging skill set.
Regarded by analyst Ben Mattinson to be "one of the best strikers out there" last season, Ekitike has proven that his qualities are transferable, and it's clear to see why he was earmarked to play in Isak's stead under Howe's wing.
Like Isak, Ekitike is a stylish and creative forward, bearing a tall frame and endowed with a fierce athleticism that serves as the backbone of his quality as a top goalscorer.
Isak vs Ekitike in 2024-25
Sadly, both now ply their trade for league rivals Liverpool, and Howe will need to bring Yoane Wissa up to scratch as swiftly as possible, with the summer signing from Brentford having scored 19 Premier League goals last season.
However, the 28-year-old doesn't boast as high a ceiling as his new strike partner Nick Woltemade, who some consider a talent who could even outstrip superstars such as Isak.
How Woltemade compares to Isak and Ekitike
Woltemade joined Newcastle from Stuttgart in a club-record £69m deal last week, with a deal struck out of the blue and all but confirming Isak's sale to Liverpool.
Woltemade 2024-25 in numbers (timeless)
The 23-year-old is still coming into his own, but he scored 12 goals from 17 appearances in the Bundesliga last season and received a call-up to the German national team, having now earned two caps.
However, it's the underlying data which has attracted Newcastle's attention and money, with data-driven platform FBref revealing Woltemade ranks among the top 5% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions and successful take-ons, the top 15% for progressive carries and the top 18% for ball recoveries per 90.
A successful take-on is recorded when a player beats their opponent by directly carrying the ball past them while retaining possession.
He might not be quite the same as Isak and Ekitike, but perhaps that is a positive, allowing Howe to land his next star-in-the-making without signing a mere mimic of the striker just sold.
League Stats 24/25 - Wissa vs Woltemade
Stats (*per game)
Matches (starts)
Goals
Assists
Shots (on target)*
Big chances missed
Pass completion
Big chances created
Key passes*
Dribbles*
Ball recoveries*
Tackles + interceptions*
Duels (won)*
Data via Sofascore
But in any case, FBref's number-crunching has revealed that both aforementioned strikers bear a likeness to Woltemade, each blessed with skills that stretch beyond what is expected of a number nine.
A strong presence in the final third allows the towering striker to guide balls to teammates, found through his eight big chances created in the Bundesliga.
Indeed, hailed for his "absolutely ridiculous" quality in the final third by European football expert Zach Lowy, Woltemade is so much more than just a goalscorer, with sharp link-up play and intelligence that rivals that of Isak, albeit applied in a different manner.
Lowy went on to suggest that his prowess as a technically proficient target man is reminiscent of bygone superstars such as Karim Benzema and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, owing to his balance and improvisation and resourcefulness.
Nick Woltemade
Wissa is the more refined attacking signing at Newcastle right now, but Woltemade has the capacity to become something truly special under Howe's wing, taking samples from Isak and Ekitike's skill sets and fashioning himself into a unique and effective forward for the Toon.