Jason Tindall believes one Newcastle United youngster is going to develop into a ‘top player’ in the coming years.
Newcastle United have been all about player improvement since Eddie Howe’s arrival. So many players have improved under his management, while signings have been brought in because of their potential rather than their current ability.
That was the case with Lewis Hall, who joined on loan before signing permanently for £28million. After a slow start where he could not get in the team, Hall became so impressive that he earned an England debut.
His rise has been remarkable, and Will Osula is hoping to follow a similar path.
He joined the Magpies for an initial £10million in the summer, but opportunities have been limited. While Newcastle still have confidence in Osula, the 21-year-old has rarely been trusted to play in the Premier League.
Jason Tindall discusses Will Osula’s potential at Newcastle United
However, faith in Osula is not going to waver.
That is the view of Jason Tindall, who first spotted Osula when he was at Sheffield United.
The Newcastle United assistant manager has spoken about what he noticed first about Osula during his pre-match press conference, before going into detail and his progress since arriving at St James’ Park.
“The raw pace that he has,” he said.
“He reminds me a lot of a young Callum Wilson. He runs in behind extremely well. He’s a goalscorer. Great size. Great athlete. And he’s got a fantastic attitude.
“When you’re as young as Will then you know you’ve got huge potential.
“Will Osula is developing really, really well here. Like a lot of players that we sign at the football club, certainly young players, the likes of Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento, they have to be patient.
“We’re all confident that when Will’s moment and opportunities come that he’ll take them.”
Tindall added: “He’s developed really well. He’s showing really good signs of becoming a top player.”
Osula will struggle to play for Newcastle United this season
Since joining the club, Osula has made 16 appearances. 11 of them have been in the Premier League, but his only starts have been in the cups.
That statistic is unlikely to change between now and the end of the 2024/25 season.
With seven games to go, there is still so much to play for. The Magpies are in a strong position to qualify for the Champions League, as they aim to return to Europe’s elite competition.
With that in mind, Eddie Howe and Jason Tindall will not be taking any chances with their team selection. They will be putting out their strongest XI every week, which means Alexander Isak starting up front and Wilson acting as understudy.
While some fans want Osula to be ahead of Callum Wilson as Isak’s deputy, it is more likely that Howe will stick with the experience of his number nine.
Wilson has not performed too well during his cameos off the bench, but he is a trusted member of the Newcastle United squad. Howe knows exactly what Wilson can offer him, whereas Osula is yet to earn the manager’s trust.
That will happen in time, but patience is required.
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