Alexander Isak is becoming a superstar at Newcastle United, but Chris Sutton has admitted there were a ‘few eyebrows raised’ shortly after his move to Tyneside.
Newcastle made Isak their new record signing last summer, bringing him in from Real Sociedad for £63million. It was Yasir Al-Rumayyan’s decision to break the bank, and it is one that is now paying off.
However, it really took the 23-year-old a while to get going in a Toon shirt. His first few appearances were up and down. He got two goals in three games, but was inconsistent. The Newcastle players did not look like they knew how to get the best out of him.
Then injury struck. Isak missed a large portion of the season with a thigh problem, which was a real blow after such a high profile move.
Now he is fit and firing, and proving exactly why the Toon decision makers spent so much money on him. He has established himself as Newcastle’s first choice striker, hitting double figures in his first season in England.
Isak’s form has left Callum Wilson frustrated and, more importantly, motivated. The Toon number nine has spoke openly about not being a starter, as he continues to bang in the goals. He is enjoying his best ever season in the Premier League, scoring 15 times.
The strikers’ form has given Eddie Howe a real selection dilemma – one that Chris Sutton believes is a real ‘luxury’.
Chris Sutton thinks Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson are both ‘top class’
The former Chelsea and Blackburn striker spoke on BBC 5 Live’s weekly show The Monday Night Club and addressed Newcastle’s two ‘top class’ centre forwards.
“Isak took his time to get going,” he said.
“He went there and had a bit of an injury. Looking at his record at Sociedad he wasn’t really a prolific scorer so I suppose there were, with the money they paid, a few eyebrows raised at that. But since he’s getting a regular run of games he looks to be a really brilliant all rounder.
“Just looking at the way in recent games Eddie Howe has used the pair of them, they can play in the same team. Often Isak goes out to that left hand side, Wilson is a number nine essentially. But what a luxury that is to have.
“I think they are slightly different players in the attributes that they both have but it is interesting the way that Eddie Howe has used them, usually it’s one or the other that is starting. But it’s a great situation to be in. They have two top class strikers.”
Howe handling the situation very well right now
The Newcastle boss is getting it spot on at the moment. He is getting the absolute best out of both Wilson and Isak, either as a pair or separately.
We have seen Isak thrive out wide over the past couple of games, while Wilson is enjoying a real resurgence after a tough start to the year.
It appears that the 31-year-old has benefitted from Isak’s incredible form in 2023. It has forced him to raise his game, resulting in Newcastle having two strikers that are absolutely flying.
Howe’s use of them is a real danger to the opposition, as they never know what Howe is going to do. He can play one or the other, play them as a front two or play one out wide and the other through the middle.
Newcastle have options – and they are ‘top class’ options. As Sutton says, it is a real ‘luxury’.
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