Alexander Isak is Newcastle United’s No.9 in all but name. The hitman has established himself as the club’s premier goalscorer regardless of what number is on his back as he looks to fire himself deeper into the history books at the club.
The super Swede, who arrived in a club-record £63million move from Real Sociedad in August 2022, has bagged 19 goals in 24 Premier League games this term. There have been two more in the cup as Isak has hit top form this season.
As well as becoming a huge goal threat, Isak has also led the line with aplomb, defending from the front, pressing, linking play up and providing an outlet. With Callum Wilson’s injury problems, the weight of responsibility has been carried by Isak – and he has shown he is more than up to the job.
Wilson is the current wearer of the famous jersey that has been donned by a number of Newcastle heroes down the years, from Jackie Milburn to Alan Shearer, Andy Cole to Malcolm Macdonald. It is an iconic shirt, with Shearer in particular making it his own with 206 goals for the club as he became the Premier League and Newcastle’s all-time leading scorer.
Wilson could depart the club in the summer after his contract expires. The veteran striker has suffered from injury problems, and although Eddie Howe is understood to want to offer him a new deal, his future remains uncertain.
Should he depart, Isak would be in line to take on the No.9 strip, but former United defender Danny Simpson is adamant the goal machine would politely decline the chance to wear the famous jersey. Simpson believes Isak won’t want to change from his regular No.14 given his unbelievable form.
(Image: (Photo by Jacques Feeney/Offside/Offside via Getty Images))
“I don’t think he’ll want the No.9 shirt though,” Simpson told SportsBoom.com. “Players have a thing for certain numbers, if your number is going well then they don’t usually want to change.
“Look at Declan Rice, he kept 41 when he moved from West Ham to Arsenal. Look at Trent [Alexander-Arnold], he kept 66 and I can’t see him being a No.2
“I feel like sometimes you start with a number – and then that stays your number. I know No.9 is an iconic Newcastle shirt, but I think he’d have had it by now if he wanted it.”
Isak missed out in midweek against Liverpool with a groin injury and is a doubt for Newcastle’s FA Cup tie against Brighton on Sunday. His absence is a big blow for Eddie Howe after he showcased his quality in front of goal again with two goals on Sunday in a breathtaking 4-3 victory against Nottingham Forest saw the hitman join an elite group of players.
His second goal against Forest was his 50th Premier League goal, which he has achieved in an impressive 76 games. There are only six other players who have joined that exclusive club quicker – Erling Haaland (48 games), Andy Cole (65), Shearer (66), Ruud van Nistelrooy (68), Fernando Torres (72) and Salah (72).
“They’ve got a striker who gives the whole team confidence,” added Simpson, who won promotion to the Premier League with the Magpies and enjoyed three seasons in the top-flight with them. “I’ve experienced that before at previous clubs. Jamie Vardy was fantastic the season we [Leicester City] won the Premier League.”
“When you’ve got someone like that [Isak], who is playing with so much confidence, it just breeds through the team.”
“I’ve been saying if for ages, I knew how good he was. I used to buy him on Football Manager [the computer game], but that was a few years ago on the PC. I was buying him years ago.
“But he just looks like the complete package, doesn’t he? He’s got a bit of arrogance, he’s got pace, he can hold the ball up, he’s strong and he can head it.
“He can tap it in, he can shoot from outside the box, he just looks like the complete No.9 at the moment, which is something you don’t really get to see these days.”
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