Wolves finally agree deal for striker’s departure amid Alexander Isak transfer saga

Wolverhampton Wanderers have agreed to a deal that will see striker Fabio Silva depart the club permanently, a move that could have major implications for Newcastle United’s pursuit of attacking reinforcements.

Newcastle have spent much of the summer searching for a centre-forward, with Eddie Howe desperate to find a reliable option following the departure of Callum Wilson and the uncertain future of Alexander Isak.

Wilson’s exit has already left a gap in the squad, but the situation has been made worse by Isak’s refusal to play amid strong interest from Liverpool.

The Swedish international has effectively removed himself from contention, with Howe isolating him from the first-team group and ordering him to train alone until his future is resolved.

This has forced Newcastle to scour the market for strikers, with Wolves forward Jorgen Strand Larsen emerging as a key target.

The Magpies lodged a £55 million bid for the Norwegian earlier this week, but Wolves swiftly rejected the offer. Having only completed his permanent move to Molineux this summer following a loan spell, the 25-year-old remains central to Gary O’Neil’s plans, and the club are not willing to part ways easily.

However, Newcastle’s hopes of reviving their pursuit of Strand Larsen may have suffered another blow following Wolves’ agreement to sell Fabio Silva.

According to the Express and Star, Silva is set to join Borussia Dortmund in a deal worth £19.5 million, with a further £3.5 million available in performance-related add-ons.

At just 23, Silva still has plenty of potential, but Wolves have decided to cash in, allowing him to continue his development in the Bundesliga.

For Newcastle, this deal could not come at a worse time. Wolves’ willingness to sell Silva means they are even less likely to consider losing another striker in the same window.

With Silva heading to Germany, O’Neil would be left with only Strand Larsen and Hee-chan Hwang as his senior centre-forwards. In such circumstances, the club cannot afford to let Larsen leave, regardless of the size of Newcastle’s offer.

That reality makes the chances of prising him away from Molineux slim, leaving Howe to consider other options as the transfer deadline approaches.

The rejection of the £55 million bid already highlighted Wolves’ stance, but Silva’s departure effectively shuts the door on negotiations. It mirrors a wider theme of frustration for Newcastle this summer, as they have missed out on several top targets.

Earlier in the window, bids for players such as James Trafford, Marc Guehi, and Hugo Ekitike failed to materialise into deals, leaving the Magpies scrambling to find alternatives.

Meanwhile, the broader striker market is proving difficult to navigate. Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson has been linked with a move to Bayern Munich, a development that further reduces the pool of available players.

Brentford’s Yoane Wissa was another name strongly tied to Newcastle, but recent weeks have seen that speculation cool, with no fresh updates on the London club’s willingness to sell.

The timing of these setbacks could not be worse for Howe. With Isak refusing to play and Wilson already gone, the manager faces the prospect of entering the season without a proven Premier League striker.

The squad, which has otherwise been strengthened in key areas, risks being undermined by the lack of a reliable centre-forward.

For Newcastle supporters, the sense of urgency grows with each passing day. They had hoped the club would act decisively in the market to back Howe and push the team forward, especially given their ambitions of competing in Europe once again.

Instead, the drawn-out saga around Isak and the repeated frustrations in securing replacements have left the fanbase anxious and frustrated.

The Silva deal underscores how quickly the market can shift. One move can alter the entire landscape, and for Newcastle, Wolves’ decision to part ways with the Portuguese striker effectively blocks a path they were eager to pursue.

Unless circumstances change dramatically, Strand Larsen will stay at Molineux, leaving Newcastle to either identify fresh targets or attempt to reignite talks for players they had previously pursued.

As the window edges toward its close, the Magpies remain under pressure to solve their striker dilemma.

With time running out and options dwindling, Howe and his recruitment team must act quickly to avoid being left short in one of the most important positions on the pitch.