On paper, Newcastle United have enjoyed a quietly solid transfer window.
Anthony Elanga looks to be a fantastic long term solution to our right wing issues, Jacob Ramsey bolsters our already-strong midfield, and Malick Thiaw is an exciting addition to the defence, with Aaron Ramsdale also ready to push Nick Pope in goal.
But time is rapidly running out for the club to address the elephant in the room: where is our clinical striker option outside of the want-away Alexander Isak?
We’ve talked for weeks now about getting a replacement for Callum Wilson, and the latest developments looked to have ruled out one name entirely, at least for this summer…
According to The Telegraph’s John Percy, Wolves are determined to keep striker Jørgen Strand Larsen after Newcastle had a £50m bid rejected by the Midlands side.
It’s claimed Wolves will resist any of our efforts to poach the 25-year-old over the next week, regardless of what price we put on the table, as they believe it’s ’too late’ to sign an adequate replacement.
Writing on X, Percy adds “Their (Wolves) view is that it’s too late in the window to bring in a proper replacement. Not a stretch to say the entire season could rest on Wolves sticking to this.”
It’s an annoyingly similar situation to ourselves concerning Liverpool’s interest in Alexander Isak: with less than a week left in the transfer window, anyone who sells their primary striker now is very unlikely to get a solid replacement signed in time, which would jeopardise their entire season.
And with Wolves already looking like a prime candidate to be in a relegation battle this season, they’re more than justified in their approach.
With Sunday’s news that Alexander Isak is now expected to stay on Tyneside this summer, we’ll be hoping that’s one striker option covered.
But given that it’s very unlikely we don’t see the Swede take to the field until after the international break, and who knows how long until we see him back to his brilliant best, we’re still crying out for a goalscorer in the side.
Though internal feelings at the club suggest a deal is unlikely, according to The Telegraph, Yoane Wissa still feels like the best option for the time being.
But all this depends on Brentford softening their stance on his £50-60m asking price: absurd for a soon to be 29-year-old with just a year left on his contract. But still worth a gamble on Newcastle’s end with some huge games coming up, including the Champions League, if a compromise can be found?