Newcastle United transfer news: Will Osula has been linked with a move away from St James’ Park this month.
Another club has been linked with signing Newcastle United striker Will Osula this month.
Osula had been at the centre of reported interest from Germany when the January transfer window opened on New Year’s Day. Eintracht Frankfurt, who had been heavily-linked with a move for him on deadline day in the summer, were reported to have reignited their interest in Osula by Sky Sport Germany earlier this month.
However, with just over two days left of the winter window, Osula remains a Magpies player and no agreement between them and Frankfurt has been reached over a potential move this month. The Bundesliga side, who were knocked out of the Champions League in the league phase, were reportedly interested in permanent and loan deals for the 22-year-old.
However, according tothe Mail, they now face fresh competition from Ligue 1 side Marseille for Osula’s signature. Much like Frankfurt, Marseille also fell at the first hurdle in this season’s Champions League, although their exit was a lot more chaotic and came via Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin’s stoppage time goal against Real Madrid on Wednesday night.
Roberto De Zerbi’s side have recently allowed Neal Maupay to join Sevilla on loan and whilst the former Brighton man wasn’t a regular at Stade Velodrome this season, his departure does create a gap in their squad that needs to be filled. Osula has, reportedly, been shortlisted as a possible option to do just that.
Osula, meanwhile, hasn’t featured for Newcastle United since their defeat against West Ham in early-November. He has been named on Eddie Howe’s bench for their last two outings against Aston Villa and PSG but is yet to return to action following an ankle injury.
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Aston Villa’s interest in William Osula
As mentioned, Osula had plenty of suitors during the summer transfer window. He even spent deadline day away from his international teammates as he and his representatives remained on standby over a potential deal.
That move to Frankfurt collapsed late on, though, and Osula remained a Newcastle United player - much to the delight of the Magpies who soon lost Yoane Wissa to injury. Before interest from Frankfurt, though, Aston Villa had emerged as surprise candidates for Osula’s signature during the final days of the summer transfer window.
However, their efforts to sign him were thwarted by UEFA’s financial rules. Villa had already sold Jacob Ramsey to Newcastle United during the window and a move that would see Osula heading the other way would have counted as a ‘swap deal’ by UEFA and prevented Villa from banking the money they had raised following the sale of Ramsey.
It is likely that Osula will once again act as third-choice striker at St James’ Park and see his minutes limited by Wissa and Nick Woltemade. A move before deadline day, therefore, could be what the former Sheffield United man needs to reignite his career and continue his development.
Newcastle United, though, do have high hopes for Osula and won’t want to lose him permanently unless they are very well compensated and will likely want to insert a buy-back clause into any transfer that can help them bring Osula back to Tyneside in the future if he does realise his potential.
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