Callum Wilson is in line to win a new contract at Newcastle United and could be part of the Toon squad again next season – according to Eddie Howe.
The former AFC Bournemouth striker is set to return to action today in the FA Cup fourth round at Birmingham City after an injury hit campaign. It started with a back problem in pre-season before a hamstring injury before Christmas restricted the England international to just 57 Premier League minutes this term.
Brief talks are understood to have taken place behind the scenes on Wilson’s future but the expectation is that Wilson, who made his return to the field in the Carabao Cup semi-final win over Arsenal, will be be available to help steer Newcastle home this season.
Given the harsh PSR conditions that have restricted the Magpies, getting Wilson back up and running is a much more economical option than letting him join a rival and then have to pay to replace him.
When asked about whether Wilson had any prospect of a future at Newcastle beyond his current deal, Howe said: “Yeah, absolutely there is. I can’t write the future. I can’t predict what’s going to happen. I’d never write Callum Wilson off.”
Howe knows that he has a small squad at Newcastle going into the second half of the season. But he feels that every player – including Wilson – is prepared to fight for the badge.
The Newcastle head coach said: “I’m looking for players every time I bring them either into the team to start a game or off the bench, regardless of length of time that they get to play, for them to leave a positive impression, for them to make it more difficult for me to leave them out.
“I don’t want a set team. I don’t want an XI that continually plays. I want the squad to challenge that decision-making. And the only way they can do that is in the training environment that I see them in every day and, of course, in the match environment where everyone gets to see them perform.”
And while United go into the second half of the season on the back of a barren transfer window, Howe wants no excuses from anybody over heads dropping.
He warned: “There should be no moment where they’re entering the pitch in a negative state of mind. They’re representing an unbelievable football club and they need to do the shirt and the badge justice.”
Newcastle will look to keep FA Cup dreams alive in the second city today before a crunch Champions League battle with Man City next weekend.
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