After the arrival of Antonio Cordero, time is running out for Paul Mitchell to make one more signing for Newcastle United.
It was recently announced that Mitchell is leaving Newcastle United at the end of June, bringing an end to his reign as Toon sporting director.
As it stands, Antonio Cordero will be Newcastle’s last signing under his watch. The hope is that he will blossom into a superstar on Tyneside, but Newcastle will initially loan Cordero out.
If he goes on to thrive in black and white, Cordero will be seen as Mitchell’s parting gift to Newcastle. However, there is another player who could also fall into that category.
Will Osula proves he can be Paul Mitchell’s best Newcastle United signing
Newcastle United have high hopes for Will Osula.
The 21-year-old joined the Magpies in the summer of 2024 for £10million from Sheffield United. He is currently Paul Mitchell’s most expensive signing at Newcastle United.
It was even reported at the time that Mitchell was the driving force behind Newcastle signing Osula, with the 43-year-old anticipating that the young forward could really improve under Eddie Howe’s coaching.
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That has proven to be the case. Osula, or Osulinha as Bruno Guimaraes calls him, has improved massively since joining Newcastle, highlighting the potential the club thought he had.
While he is far from the finished article, the signs are clear for all to see that he is on the right path. He proved that on Thursday night, as Denmark kicked off their Under-21s European Championship campaign with a 3-2 win over Ukraine.
Osula started on the bench, but proved to be decisive. Coming on in the 71st minute, he got an assist then scored the winner for his side. The Toon striker was the difference-maker, having a major impact off the bench. After scoring the winner, Newcastle transfer target Anthony Elanga praised Osula on Instagram.
It is the kind of impact that Howe wants Osula to start having for Newcastle United. If he can do that and provide the support that Alexander Isak needs, there is no doubt that he could end up going down as Mitchell’s best bit of work at St James’ Park.
Osula proves he is learning at Newcastle United
During his formative years as a footballer, Osula has not been a prolific goalscorer. While he is powerful and athletic, he does not have a history of scoring goals for fun.
Newcastle know they need to turn Osula into a goalscorer for him to succeed on Tyneside, and his strike on Thursday night showcased the improvement the club have been looking for.
It was far from a pretty goal. It was a case of right place, right time from Osula. He got himself in between the posts and stuck it in with his knee. It was a poacher’s goal – the type that Newcastle United want him to score more of.
While it is only one goal, it is evidence of Osula’s growth. He has improved, and is going to continue improving.
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