As Alexander Isak edges closer to the exit door, Newcastle United are beginning to map out life without their talismanic striker.

The Swede’s choice to skip Newcastle’s pre-season tour of Southeast Asia and instead train at former club Real Sociedad has only heightened speculation about his future.

While Liverpool lodged a bid to secure his signature, the Magpies are already working on contingency plans. In Benjamin Šeško, Newcastle believe they have identified an heir to Isak’s throne.

A towering presence at 1.94m, the 22-year-old is equally capable of leading the line with intelligence and intensity.

Despite the club’s willingness to meet RB Leipzig’s valuation, the Slovenian appears to prefer a move to Manchester United - even in the absence of European football.

This has left the door open for alternatives.

One name is emerging as a serious contender - a raw but high-ceilinged talent who combines power, pace and composure in front of goal.

Newcastle looking at Europe's next powerhouse forward

According to TEAMTalk, Newcastle and Aston Villa are among five Premier League clubs interested in Porto striker Samu Aghehowa.

The 21-year-old Spanish-Nigerian powerhouse has taken Europe by storm since joining Porto from Atlético Madrid for around £15m last summer.

Aghehowa has scored 27 goals in 45 games, including six in the Europa League and two against Manchester United, evidence of his ability to shine on the biggest stage.

As per the report, sources close to the player suggest he is keen on a move to the Premier League, drawn by its competitiveness and global appeal. However, Porto’s valuation, a steep £70 million, partly due to Atlético Madrid’s 50% sell-on clause, may complicate matters.

Nevertheless, it's believed a lower fee could be negotiated, with £50m-£60m having been suggested.

Why Samu Aghehowa Might Be the Next Šeško — Or Better

Standing at 1.93m, Aghehowa fits the same physical profile as Šeško. Indeed, analyst Ben Mattinson described Omorodion as an “absolute powerhouse", while also noting that he is the "real deal".

Crucially, he’s already proven capable of shouldering a club’s attacking burden, an attractive quality for both Newcastle and Villa, especially with the latter facing uncertainty over Ollie Watkins’ future.

Should Newcastle miss out on Šeško, Aghehowa represents a similarly ambitious gamble, albeit one with a potentially higher ceiling.

In truth, comparisons between the pair are as inevitable as both are towering, physically dominant forwards.

What’s more, both are under the age of 23 and represent the archetype of the modern target man: capable of bullying defenders whilst also possessing the technique to play in dynamic, high-tempo systems.

According to data from FBref, his non-penalty expected goals (npxG) stood at 8.4, with 11 goals scored in open play, and he averaged 2.5 shots per 90 minutes. But as promising as those numbers are, Aghehowa’s hold up well in comparison.

In the Liga Portugal, the Porto man scored 19 league goals and added three assists. Across all competitions, he notched 27.

The same data shows he ranks in the 75th percentile for non-penalty xG per 90 (0.43) and the 86th percentile for total shots per 90 (3.10).

In terms of pass completion, he’s even more efficient than Šeško, ranking in the 96th percentile (77.8%), demonstrating his ability to play quick link-up football.

Additionally, the former Atleti starlet is an active presence in the box.

He ranks in the 86th percentile for touches in the attacking penalty area (5.45), and, surprisingly for a striker, in the 73rd percentile for interceptions - testament to his defensive work rate.

Šeško, for all his finishing prowess, has a more passive off-ball profile. With Isak increasingly detached, training independently at Real Sociedad and unlikely to return without resolution, Newcastle’s hierarchy must make a call.

Wait for a Šeško U-turn, or invest in the next rising star before the market catches up?

Aghehowa might not be a household name yet, but neither was Haaland before his Salzburg breakout, nor Šeško before Leipzig.

The traits are all there: size, speed, hunger, and a fearless eye for goal. In the end, signing him wouldn’t just be a response to Isak’s departure, it could be a defining statement of ambition for the years ahead.