It’s time to admit that Will Osula is not going to be a Premier League striker and that he should be sold at the end of the season.
When I saw him running aimlessly across the field against Aston Villa on Saturday evening and not achieving anything of note, it was definitive confirmation for me that the experiment has failed.
On multiple websites that offer player ratings, Osula was universally rated as ‘poor’, with only a 4 or 5.
This form was repeated across his 13 Premier League appearances (ED: for context: 246 minutes played, one start and 12 sub appearances) this season, scoring just one goal, the same result as last season (ED: 124 PL minutes, 0 starts and 14 sub appearances).
The only real highlight of his time at Newcastle was two goals against Bradford in the third round of this season’s Carabao Cup.
When Newcastle United signed Will Osula it felt like we were signing a raw but exciting talent who could develop into a Premier League striker.
There is plenty of evidence that Eddie Howe can improve any player at some point, but unfortunately Osula seems to be an exception. The potential is there: he has speed, energy and a willingness to run at defenders. Yet these qualities have never translated into consistent output. He struggles to impose himself during matches and often drifts to the periphery. His decision-making in the final third remains erratic, and the clinical edge needed at this level has never materialised.
Now that Wissa and Woltemade are not yet fully convinced, Osula has had a chance to play in centre-forward, but has not provided sufficient arguments for this. His best games have come on the right of a front three, but Newcastle need a striker, not another winger. At the moment he is clearly the fourth choice behind Wissa, Woltemade and Gordon.
Keeping Will Osula for another season would feel less like patience and more like stagnation. A summer sale would benefit all parties: there was interest in him during the January period, let’s hope this resurfaces in the summer and we can avoid a financial loss. Newcastle United need more reliable attacking options and Osula needs a fresh environment where expectations are lower.
After two seasons of unfulfilled promises, the conclusion seems inevitable: the Will Osula experiment is over.
#Osulas #gamble