From Outcast To ‘Complete Package’ At Newcastle United

Will Osula came very close to leaving Newcastle United in the summer, but after his proposed move to Eintracht Frankfurt failed, he has emerged as a potential wildcard in attack for head coach Eddie Howe.

There has always been a sense of expectation on Osula’s shoulders when he arrived from Sheffield United in 2024. Although the Danish striker had only played 21 Premier League games in his career without scoring, for a team that was ultimately relegated, the fact he was the only senior recruit in that window put focus on him.

He was raw and needed refinement, but supporters were left frustrated by his lack of progress. Callum Wilson was released at the end of the campaign having played 300 minutes and scored one FA Cup goal – Osula scored once in the league against Ipswich Town – but Wilson’s experience was trusted more than the 22-year-old’s exuberance and potential.

Lewis Hall had gone through a similar journey after joining from Chelsea the previous season, minimal game time before establishing himself as first choice left-back. But comparing him to Osula was never fair; he had already broken through at Stamford Bridge and was predicted to be a future England star.

Osula’s talent, while there to be seen, needed much more patience.

With Alexander Isak and latterly Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa in front of him in the pecking order, that patience was never guaranteed. It appeared like a move to Frankfurt was ideal, first mooted as a permanent deal with a buy-back option and then as a loan. Ultimately, though, it fell through, and Newcastle has benefited since, especially given Wissa’s absence through injury.

But Howe has given some insight into the detailed plan of action in place to help Osula grow; game time has not been a strong metric, and the coaching staff have been giving him individual attention, but this season, things are stepping up.

“It was well documented he could have left,” Howe told the media before the Carabao Cup clash with Tottenham Hotspur at St James’ Park on Wednesday.

“We wanted Will to play, to continue his development. He committed to a path of limited game time but big training time and a lot of work with Graeme Jones, a lot of reviewing his performances and putting things into action.

“The next thing was for him to play regularly, especially with two strikers coming in. That didn’t happen, much to our relief with Yoane’s injury. We believe in Will’s talents. He is coming on the pitch as the complete package, I think.”

Osula has rarely been without the backing of the Newcastle supporters, but his progress is now becoming clear. Having scored from the bench in the defeat to Liverpool back in August, he netted twice more in the last round of the Carabao Cup against Bradford City. Surely he will be in contention to start up front against Spurs if fit – he is currently nursing a slight ankle problem – and doing so would be a just reward for his form.

How perception of Will Osula has changed

His role in setting up Bruno Guimaraes’ stoppage time winner against Fulham on Saturday not only typified how far he had come, but also caught the attention further. He has always been big and strong, but his technical game has always been questioned, as has his ability to put Howe’s instructions into practice.

But the way he pressed from the front before driving into the box and firing a shot at goal which was parried into Guimaraes’ path was extremely impressive. Would he have done that last season? It is hard to imagine so, and the Newcastle staff has noticed how much he has improved in recent months.

“Will is vitally important,” Howe added. “He is quick, he is athletic. He has a good attitude and better know-how to manage game situations.

“He is now coming on the pitch looking like a complete package. Every time he has come on the pitch, he has performed.”

“He’s a great personality with a real zest for life, he has very close friendships. He is very serious about his work – he is very serious about his development and his game.

“When it is work time, he puts on a different face; he was serious last year but I think we’ve seen a more mature Will with his work and he is benefitting from that.”

He was barely seen as an option when he first arrived, such was the level he needed to reach. Even this summer, with Woltemade and Wissa coming in, the future looked bleak for him at Newcastle.

Suddenly, though, Will Osula is shaping up to be a threat to the established order of Howe’s squad, and could become a decisive player at key moments this season. From almost leaving to now, it has been quite the turnaround.