Newcastle United find themselves back in the middle of transfer discussions as talks over William Osula’s future have quietly come back to life ahead of the January window. The young forward, who arrived with real promise and excitement, has struggled this season to secure a regular place in Eddie Howe’s plans.
Now, with new developments emerging and reported agreements already in place, it feels as though the club may finally be preparing for an exit that many thought would happen months ago.
Osula was close to leaving Newcastle for Eintracht Frankfurt during the summer window. The Bundesliga side pushed hard for his signature and believed they had done enough to take him to Germany, but Newcastle changed their stance at the last moment.
The club wanted more depth in attack, especially with Yoane Wissa’s early fitness concerns and the unpredictable nature of the season ahead. Because of that, Osula stayed at St James’ Park, hoping for a fresh chance to prove himself.
However, months later, little has changed for the 22-year-old. He has played just 213 minutes in the Premier League and barely featured in the Champions League.
With Wissa returning from injury and Nick Woltemade firmly establishing himself following his £65million move, Osula has slipped even further down the pecking order. Instead of battling for a place on the bench, he is now looking at the possibility of being fourth choice.
For a player at his age, with the ambition to grow and play regularly, the situation feels increasingly unsustainable.
Reports in Germany suggest that Frankfurt’s interest never faded. According to BILD, the club have now reached a verbal agreement with Osula on a long-term contract, believed to be for five years.
The package would include a base annual salary of around £2.19million plus bonuses. For the player, the project appears to make sense, especially after he spoke with head coach Dino Toppmöller in the summer and quickly warmed to the club’s vision.
He has been described as the perfect fit for Frankfurt’s system, someone capable of playing as a lone striker or in a front two, offering versatility that the German side need urgently.
The challenge now lies in negotiating a deal that Newcastle will accept. Frankfurt are pushing for an initial loan move with an option to buy, a structure that could allow them to manage finances more sensibly while still securing Osula’s services.
Newcastle, however, may prefer a permanent deal or a more guaranteed payment structure. Fees between £17.5million and £21.8million have been discussed, placing Osula’s valuation in the region of £22million.
It remains unclear whether the Magpies will be satisfied with those numbers, but the tone around the deal suggests there is genuine momentum this time.
Frankfurt are eager to move quickly, especially with injuries mounting in their squad. Jonathan Burkardt is sidelined until the end of January, and Michy Batshuayi is not expected to return until March.
That leaves a significant gap in their forward line, and sporting director Markus Krösche wants to secure Osula before the window gets busy. Those involved believe that Krösche’s negotiation skills will play a major role in determining how smoothly the deal progresses from here.
From Newcastle’s perspective, the situation is slightly bittersweet. Eddie Howe has been clear in the past that the club valued Osula highly and wanted him on a development path that included more playing time.
During the summer, Howe admitted that a loan move was always the preferred option because the coaching staff wanted Osula to grow through regular football rather than limited minutes.
The plan was to allow him to gain experience while still being closely monitored by Newcastle.
Howe openly praised Osula’s maturity and willingness to work behind the scenes. Last season, the young striker committed to long periods of training and analysis under Graeme Jones, working tirelessly to refine his game even when match opportunities were scarce.
Howe admired that dedication, believing that the next step for Osula was to play consistently at a competitive level. But when Wissa suffered an injury, circumstances changed quickly, and Newcastle were relieved to have Osula available as cover.
Still, football moves fast, and Osula now finds himself in a position where his long-term development must come first. With Wissa fit again, Woltemade an expensive investment, and the team pushing for stability in attack, the chance of Osula breaking through seems slim. A move may finally be the best option for everyone involved.
As January approaches, the sense is that discussions will continue to advance. Osula has already shown strong interest in Frankfurt’s project, Frankfurt want him now more than ever, and Newcastle are starting to accept that the time may be right to part ways.
Whether the deal ends up being a loan, a permanent transfer, or a mix of both, all signs point toward Osula stepping into a new chapter abroad. For a player with his talent and hunger, it might be exactly what he needs.
