It is time for Newcastle to cash in on ‘incredible’ 31-year-old, Eddie Howe can’t rely on him

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When Callum Wilson is fit and firing, there aren’t many English strikers who are as reliable as the Newcastle United number nine.

The 31-year-old has been impressive in front of goal so far this season, with Callum Wilson boasting eight goals from 20 appearances in all competitions. It comes after he netted 18 times in the Premier League last year, firing Newcastle into the Champions League.

However, as has so often been the case, the issue for Wilson right now is staying fit. He missed the defeat to Liverpool with a calf problem, and is also set to be unavailable for Saturday’s Tyne-Wear derby against Sunderland in the FA Cup.

It has been a stop-start season for the Toon striker, who was also struggling with a hamstring injury earlier in the campaign. He has missed nine games in total due to injury, and the stats for the rest of his Newcastle career are not great either.

Callum Wilson’s record since joining Newcastle

Since joining the Magpies in 2020 from Bournemouth, Wilson has made 102 appearances in all competitions. During those 102 appearances, he has scored 46 goals. He is averaging almost a goal every other game, which is great. As we said at the start, he is an incredibly reliable source of goals when he is fit.

The issue is how often he is not fit. Last season he missed eight games due to injury, while the year before it was 21. And in his first ever season on Tyneside he missed 12 matches due to fitness issues.

In total, Wilson has missed 50 games due to injury during three and a half seasons as a Newcastle United player.

That is a staggering amount, and shows why Eddie Howe can not truly rely on his number nine.

It might be time for Newcastle to sell Callum Wilson

And that is why it is perhaps time for Newcastle to cash in.

The Magpies would not be short of suitors. As we have stressed, Wilson is a wonderful goalscorer and would no doubt thrive at a new club if he were to leave St James’ Park.

But at a time when Newcastle are stretched due to profit and sustainability rules and are looking for saleable assets, Wilson could be at risk of losing his place in the Toon squad in 2024.

In an ideal world, you keep a player like Wilson. He is an ‘incredible‘ player and a wonderful understudy to Alexander Isak, and the pair have gotten the best out of each other.

But it is clear that Isak is first choice, which is not something that Wilson will enjoy. He wants to be the main man, not the reserve.

And Newcastle need a reserve who is reliable. You look at Chris Wood and he was the definition of reliable. He was fit and did a job every week, even if the goals did not flow.

If Wilson was fit every week then this would not be up for debate. But injuries have always been an issue for him, and now could be the right time for Newcastle to cash in.