Newcastle United have ‘discussed’ two Premier League strikers as they seek a replacement for Callum Wilson, according to Craig Hope.
Wilson confirmed this week that he’s leaving St James’ Park following the expiry of his contract.
In a statement, the 33-year-old said: “To all you Magpies, it’s time to say goodbye after an unbelievable few years at the Toon.
“Thank you for everything. We stood strong together through the highs and some lows to help the club experience new heights.”
His departure means Eddie Howe is keen to sign a new striker this summer, though Alexander Isak will obviously remain his undisputed first choice.
William Osula is also expected to stay and provide depth, but Howe wants a more experienced and proven centre-forward to help ease the burden on Isak, who scored 23 goals in 34 Premier League appearances last season.
Newcastle tried to sign Joao Pedro from Brighton and Hove Albion and had a bid rejected for the Brazilian.
Pedro has since signed for Chelsea for £55million, prompting the Magpies to look elsewhere.
According to Newcastle transfer expert Craig Hope, Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins and Brentford’s Yoane Wissa have been ‘discussed’ internally by the Magpies hierarchy.
Hope says that Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga should finalise a move to St James’ Park this week and that they know a striker is needed, having failed to win a single Premier League game that Isak didn’t feature in last season.
The Geordies lost two and drew two in the Premier League without the Swede, and having qualified for the Champions League, having proper depth will be absolutely crucial.
Hope confirms that Wissa and Watkins ‘have been discussed in the past fortnight’, but says both would be ‘fairly costly’ and have ‘little resale value’, with the former now 28 and the latter 29.
The journalist says we should ‘keep a close eye on the Wissa situation’, as the Brentford striker ‘has admirers’ at Newcastle and can play on the wing as well as through the middle — with his versatility impressing.
Versatility was one of the key reasons Howe targeted Pedro, and Watkins does not fall into that bracket as an out-and-out striker.
Another name mentioned is Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who, like Wilson, is available to sign on a free transfer this summer.
Newcastle ‘like him’ but ‘there has not been any contact or talks’ with the former Everton striker, who has been linked with Manchester United as well.
Hope still isn’t ruling out contact being made and describes Calvert-Lewin as ‘an option’, but ‘not top of the list right now’.
He is ‘one to watch’ like Wissa, as Howe ‘has always seen potential in Calvert-Lewin’, with Hope unlikely to be ‘surprised if this was explored at some point’, even if ‘nothing is imminent or active’.