Newcastle United’s summer transfer window of 2025 was largely dominated by the lengthy saga which surrounded the future of then-talisman Alexander Isak.

The Swedish international burnt his bridges on Tyneside after stating his desire to move on for a fresh challenge after long-standing interest from Liverpool.

He subsequently secured a British-record £125m move to the Reds on deadline day that window, bringing his three-year spell at St James’ Park to a disappointing end.

Replacing the centre-forward has proved to be a near-impossible task for the Magpies, especially considering he netted a staggering 62 goals in his 109 appearances.

How Newcastle have failed to replace Alexander Isak

Newcastle’s efforts to replace Isak last summer were far from plain-sailing, as the Magpies missed out on countless key targets, including Hugo Ekitike, who joined the Swede at Liverpool.

Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade were the two players to arrive in the place of the £125m talent, but their combined tally of nine league goals last term showcases their struggles on Tyneside.

Neither of the aforementioned duo were able to nail down a regular starting role on Tyneside last season, which even saw youngster Will Osula stake his claim of being the club’s number one striker.

Matthias Jaissle’s arrival as manager has seen a shift in the club’s attacking department, with Woltemade even joining Juventus on loan despite his big-money move 12 months ago.

As for Wissa, he’s since dropped into a deep-lying number ten position behind the striker and claimed the Man of the Match award during the season opener with Liverpool.

The hierarchy have also spent a pretty penny on new reinforcements this summer, with forward Matias Fernandez-Pardo joining the club in a £51m deal from Lille.

He started his first game for the Magpies during Monday’s 4-1 defeat at Leeds United, but was replaced in the 57th minute after failing to register a single shot and completing just eight passes.

How Jaissle has found his own Isak at Newcastle

Whilst Fernandez-Pardo’s first start for Newcastle may have been a disappointing one, the fanbase are going to have to get behind the Belgian if he is to succeed on Tyneside.

At just 21, it’s a hugely daunting task to move to a foreign country and make an immediate impact, with his big-money addition clearly one that’s for the long-term.

However, the same could have been said for Woltemade last summer, but his struggles during his debut campaign have ultimately led to a quick exit from St James’ Park.

One other summer addition appears to be an immediate hit with the supporters on Tyneside though, with new attacker Bazoumana Toure deserving of a run of games to showcase his talent.

The Magpies paid a reported £42m to land the Ivorian international from Hoffenheim this summer, but he’s certainly had to bide his time before making an impact in the senior ranks.

The 20-year-old’s first start came in the Carabao Cup victory over West Brom last month, but even then he was dragged off at the break and replaced by Harvey Barnes.

Even against Leeds on Monday night, the youngster had to settle for a place off the bench, but was handed 33 minutes worth of action to make the scoreline a respectable one for the Magpies.

Toure certainly delivered after his introduction and was arguably the shining light in Jaissle’s side, as he netted his first goal for the club in stoppage time.

His fearless nature within attacking areas saw him emulate the levels produced by Isak on Tyneside, with the Ivorian managing to complete two dribbles and place 100% of his shots on target.

He also managed to win over 60% of his duels during his 30-minute cameo, subsequently demonstrating his work rate - something which made Isak a fan-favourite in the North East.

Given the sheer level of quality produced by the Swede during his three years at the club, Toure will no doubt have a long way to go until he reaches such levels for Newcastle.

However, there’s no denying his performance off the bench on Monday night was one that was full of energy and quality - something the frontline had lacked in recent months.

If he is to prove his worth in the immediate future, Jaissle desperately needs to hand the platform needed for success, which should see the manager hand the attacker a consistent run of starts.