Eddie Howe thinks Newcastle now have another player just like Lewis Hall

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Newcastle United are lacking options up front.

Having failed to strengthen their frontline in what feels like an age, the chickens are coming home to roost.

The last player to come into the Newcastle frontline and make a genuine and sustained impact is Anthony Gordon and even he needed a few months after his arrival in January 2023.

Harvey Barnes has impressed in flashes but is not a regular starter and is lacking consistency right now.

Indeed, Eddie Howe was reportedly keen on signing a new first-team ready forward over the course of the summer but could not get a deal over the line, with a late attempt to sign Nottingham Forest’s Anthony Elanga falling flat on its face.

With Alexander Isak largely out of form and Callum Wilson proving wholly unreliable on the fitness front, goals are proving a major issue.

All of that puts summer signing William Osula in an interesting position. While there is reportedly hope the 21-year-old can develop going forward, the forward has been afforded only nine minutes of Premier League action thus far.

Still, the Newcastle United manager believes the former Sheffield United man take inspiration from teammate Lewis Hall.

Eddie Howe says Newcastle have a player just like Lewis Hall

Hall initially struggled for game time amid concerns about his defensive displays but has since gone on to establish himself as a regular in the first-team this season.

Speaking to The Chronicle, Howe suggested Osula is currently on a reasonably similar journey.

“Lewis came to us as a highly talented young player but one that needed development and one that needed help. He needed time on the training pitch,” he said.

“There are big similarities for me between Lewis and William Osula. Will needs time and patience.

“He certainly has the attributes but we as coaches need to take our chances to work with him in the areas of the game he needs.

“Everyone on the outside needs to have patience around his development.

“Lewis was exactly the same, I think the credit to Lewis is he got his head down and worked.

“The transfer fee can sometimes get in the way of that because there is an elevated expectation on the player. But Lewis stayed calm and saw the long-term development and now is reaping the benefits of that.”

William Osula’s life could yet get harder at Newcastle

There’s certainly logic in what Howe’s saying and Hall is living proof players can develop under his watch.

Still, the landscape at Newcastle could soon be changing.

The club are reportedly looking to sign a right winger and an extra striker in January, which would surely push the Dane further down the pecking order…