Published Oct 5, 2026, 7:15 AM GMT+1

The departure of centre-forward Alexander Isak was arguably the biggest pill to swallow, as the Swedish international continuously voiced his desire to move on to pastures new.

Whilst the Magpies recouped a British record £125m fee for the attacker, it saw the side lose a player who netted 23 league goals during the year prior to his sale.

Such an opportunity handed the hierarchy the perfect chance to rebuild their attack and make the club sustainable - but it’s safe to say they failed miserably.

How Newcastle failed to replace Alexander Isak

With the £125m fee recouped for Isak, the Newcastle board had the opportunity to sign a striker capable of leading the side into the next generation.

The hierarchy did decide to spend a reported £55m on the signing of striker Yoane Wissa, with the hope the former Brentford man could replace the Swedish international.

However, a little over 12 months on from his switch, it’s safe to say the move has been a disaster, and the club massively overpaid for the signature of the DR Congo international.

The 29-year-old, who was handed the iconic number nine shirt, has only netted one league goal since his move and has often had to resort to coming off the bench.

The appointment of Matthias Jaissle handed the attacker a chance to ignite his career on Tyneside, but the German too has been unable to get a tune out of the talisman.

Wissa has even been unleashed in a number ten position to try and kickstart his time at St James’ Park, but that experiment has already been abandoned.

Given the outlay spent on his signature, it’s safe to say the club were unable to replace Isak, which could lead to big-money being spent once again in the future.

How Newcastle have the next Isak for Jaissle

Alongside Wissa, the Newcastle board also spent big to secure the signature of striker Nick Woltemade from Stuttgart, with the pair costing a combined £120m.

However, just like the DR Congo international, the German has also failed to catch the eye for the right reasons and has also failed to provide value for money.

He’s even been sent out on loan to join Italian side Juventus for the current campaign in an attempt to recapture his best form and find his confidence in front of goal.

However, he’s not the only Magpies attacking star to be sent out on loan in the hunt for regular minutes, with academy star Sean Neave being handed his first taste of senior football.

The English star has joined Wolverhampton Wanderers on loan for the current campaign, after being a consistent figure within the club’s senior squad in recent years.

He netted a remarkable 10 goals in just 14 Premier League 2 appearances, with the 19-year-old netting 15 goals across all competitions throughout 2025/26.

Whilst his loan is yet to ignite in the Championship, Neave is a player who still possesses top quality and could well be the club’s long-term option to replace Isak.

His underlying stats from his U21 campaign last season showcase his attacking quality, but it’s down to Jaissle to get the best out of the youngster in the years ahead.

Neave registered a remarkable tally of 4.1 shots per 90 last campaign, whilst placing 32% of his aforementioned efforts on target - allowing him to achieve his impressive goalscoring tally.

Both of the aforementioned figures ranked the youngster in the top 10% of all players in the division - highlighting the threat he poses to the opposition on a constant basis.

Away from his goalscoring ability, the teenager managed to complete 1.8 successful dribbles per 90 last term, whilst also winning 42% of the aerial duels he entered.

Both of the tallies saw him better 75% of other U21 talents last season, whilst also showcasing that he can emulate the playstyle of Isak in being able to run the channel whilst operating as a focal point.

Whilst he has a long way to go before emulating the levels achieved by the Swedish international, there’s no reason why Neave can’t be a first-team regular in the years to come.

Should he be handed a senior call-up, he could well take Wissa’s starting role on Tyneside, whilst also taking the iconic number nine shirt off his back in the process.