Newcastle hold talks about signing £40m striker who’s a big Wissa upgrade

Newcastle United aren’t too far away from returning to top form, having won three successive matches in the Premier League.

But with Nick Woltemade suffering a mid-season dip and Yoane Wissa yet to rekindle the kind of sharp attacking form that drew such plaudits at Brentford last season, the Magpies are missing Alexander Isak for maybe the first time this season.

Wissa is 29, and after an injury-hit start to his Newcastle career, will need to prove he has what it takes to repay that hefty £55m price tag on the pitch.

Especially when St. James’ Park executive Ross Wilson is already searching the market for a new number nine.

Newcastle consider move for new striker

Newcastle have a squad rich with quality, but Howe has aspirations of cementing a place among Europe’s biggest hitters, and with that in mind, he might need another top-class finisher.

A recent injury suffered by Tino Livramento, following Fabian Schar’s knee injury, adds pressure to finding a new defender, but Newcastle have lacked their usual sharpness in the final third this year.

If deals can be struck at both ends of the field, the Magpies might just seal the requisite improvements to ensure they secure back-to-back tickets into the Champions League while competing for silverware before the summer.

And, as per TEAMtalk, Newcastle are actually one of a number of Premier League sides keen on Wolves striker Jorgen Strand Larsen who is unhappy at Molineux. Intermediaries are said to be in contact with a multitude of clubs over the January transfer window to find him a new club.

Strand Larsen, 25, was the subject of intense Toon interest last summer, and Wolves rejected a £50m offer from Howe’s side. Now, though, the wheels have come off in the Midlands, and all parties are seeking an exit for a talented striker whose price tag has been whittled down to a more affordable £40m figure.

Why Strand Larsen could replace Wissa

Hailed as being part of an “incredible” new wave of Norwegian talent by football scout Jacek Kulig, Strand Larsen did prove his capacity to score with consistency in the Premier League last year, notching 14 goals from 35 matches.

But there hasn’t been much to write home about this year, with Strand Larsen fighting an uphill battle at the blunt spearhead of an imperilled outfit.

Even so, interest in his signature is thick, and Newcastle could fashion him into a convincing talisman on Tyneside.

Neither Strand Larsen nor Wissa is enjoying the most productive campaign in the Premier League, but were you to contrast their performances from the 2024/25 campaign, you might see why there is such interest in the struggling striker of the division’s bottom-placed club.

Woltemade is more technically gifted than Wissa and Strand Larsen, but the 23-year-old German is also raw and inconsistent.

This target man could prove the perfect signing to help spearhead the Toon project forward over the coming years. After all, his efforts for the Old Gold last year actually led Newcastle legend Alan Shearer to hail him as a “nuisance” of a forward to compete against, with steely strength and excellent hold-up play.

He’s struggled in the league this term, but the Norwegian bagged a hat-trick against Shrewsbury Town in the FA Cup last time out, reminding English football of his physicality and innate goalscoring ability.

While it’s important not to write Wissa off yet, there’s no question that Newcastle have lacked spark and sharpness in the final third this season, and after extensively profiling Strand Larsen last year, perhaps now is the time to pounce.