There was plenty of deals involved frontmen in the window, but who has come out on top?
Newcastle United strikers Nick Woltemonde and Yoane Wissa and (clockwise from top left): Viktor Gyokeres, Joao Pedro, Benjamin Sesko and Liam Delap
Newcastle strikers Nick Woltemonde and Yoane Wissa and (clockwise from top left): Viktor Gyokeres, Joao Pedro, Benjamin Sesko and Liam Delap
There is no question that football's blue-eyed boys are the centre-forwards. They carry the swagger of being matchwinners, of scoring spectacular goals, thrilling crowds, and bringing glorious success to their teams.
As a consequence virtually all the top clubs have beefed up their striker power during the transfer window that has just closed in readiness for a renewed drive towards ultimate success. So who has done the best and, as Premier League football is about to resume, who is going to score the biggest hits?
Champions Liverpool have gone for heavyweights bursting the bank to land Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike; runners-up Arsenal have attempted to solve their long running No 9 problem by importing Viktor Gyokeres; Chelsea have hoovered up Joao Pedro and Liam Delap; Manchester United nicked Benjamin Sesko from us; and Newcastle bought the goalscoring talents of Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa.
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Only Man City, having faded after winning PL title upon title, have stuck rather than twisted because they have one of the best finishers around in Erling Haaland.
Of course Liverpool look mightily served with their through-the-middle heavy artillery backed by Mo Salah who scored an incredible 29 PL goals last season coming in from a wide position.
They look power crazy - if it all works. However I doubt if little Mo can have another campaign as prolific as that given the dynamics of the front three have changed considerably through imports.
Ekitike looks a quality finisher combining those two wonderful commodities of grace and power. He is elegant and vicious at one and the same time.
Apart from Liverpool, I honestly think Newcastle have done as well as anybody with their late run to land the double W's which is saying quite something when we realise that four of those big-money signings were clubs gazumping us and the biggest outlay of the lot was to prise a top guy out of our grasp.
Maybe so, but I have high hopes for Wissa and Woltemade despite his under-par showing for a very average Germany during this international beak. Of course the proof of the pudding is in the eating and we wait to see if goals flow forth, but I'm not a huge fan of Gyokeres, the jury is out on Sesko as far as I am concerned, and Wissa will score more goals than Delap in my opinion.
Wissa is a known quantity having played in the PL with Brentford while the joy of Woltemade is still to be discovered to a certain extent as we also wait to see how quickly Gyokeres and Sesco adapt to England's top division.
We love centre-forwards up here so can anyone match our No 9 Legends Alan Shearer, SuperMac, Wor Jackie, and Hughie Gallacher?
Well that's a tough ask for any line leader in the country not just on Tyneside, Haaland apart. Dare I say it but I thought Isak was destined for our personal role of honour had he kept on the right side of decency and continued to do what he was doing.
A grand total of 62 goals in 109 Magpie appearances gave every indication of where he was heading and maybe nationally he will eventually be remembered for what he is, a quality scorer of goals, but Geordies will remain reluctant to put him in their black-and-white treasure chest.
It is terrific that Wissa has taken the No 9 shirt vacated by Callum Wilson because it can weigh heavy on the wrong shoulders. That shows confidence and bottle.
His whole career has seen him move forward . . . literally. He began as a goalkeeper at the age of seven with his local youth club Epinay-sous-Senart before moving to midfield and then the forward line. As his youth career progressed he also became adept as a winger and a No 10. That's versatility, especially considering he also played rugby union as a kid in France.
Let his move to NUFC be another step forward. And may Newcastle turn out to be the team done up to the nines!