Newcastle United could let ‘imposing’ Paul Mitchell signing leave on loan in January

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Paul Mitchell did not make many signings during his first summer as Newcastle United’s sporting director.

Newcastle United fans were hoping for major arrivals, and so was Eddie Howe. Alas, the Newcastle United squad is not much better than it was at the start of last season.

Paul Mitchell failed to sign Marc Guehi, while a late scramble to sign a winger fell short. Newcastle tried to sign Anthony Elanga, but Nottingham Forest said no.

There has been quite the fallout from the summer transfer window, with behind the scenes tension emerging between Howe and Mitchell. However, it has been reported that Howe and Mitchell have held fresh talks, with the hope being that their relationship will now grow stronger.

Paul Mitchell signed Will Osula this summer

But while Mitchell did not many any major signings in the summer, he did bring Will Osula to the club.

He arrived from Sheffield United for £10million, with the Magpies seeing him as a project player.

The striker made his first Toon start on Tuesday night, as Newcastle beat Wimbledon 1-0 in the Carabao Cup. Newcastle fans liked what they saw from Osula, as he showcased his speed, power and work ethic.

However, there is still a lot of work to do. While Eddie Howe thinks Osula is ‘imposing’ and ‘very quick’, there is an understanding that the forward is very raw.

What Newcastle United could do with Will Osula in January

Osula thinks he has improved since joining Newcastle, but he might improve further by playing more regularly.

That is why, according to iNews, Newcastle United could loan Osula out during the January transfer window.

However, iNews add that a temporary exit for Osula would be dependent on another striker arriving. It has been reported that Newcastle are in the market for a new striker heading into 2025.

Newcastle have other priorities in January

If another forward arrives, Osula might get the chance to go out on loan. That could aid his development, as it would give him the chance to play regularly and potentially score some goals. That would certainly boost his confidence.

However, it all depends on whether someone else arrives. And given Newcastle’s struggles in finding a senior striker over the summer, it is difficult to envision the January window being more fruitful.

One option could be Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who is in the final year of his Everton contract. He could be available for a bargain fee in January if he is still on course to become a free agent.

While getting Osula some game time would be very helpful, Newcastle have a bigger priority in January. It is very clear that the Magpies need a right winger, having failed to land one in the summer.

That is where the majority of the budget should go, with Newcastle set to prioritise signing a winger. That is a contrast to the summer, when the centre-back search took centre stage.