Forget Strand-Larsen: Newcastle should sign £33m striker ready to tear up Premier League
The final whistle at Anfield on Monday night brought with it a feeling that Newcastle United fans know all too well—a deep sense of frustration mixed with pride. For the third time in recent years, Liverpool had broken Geordie hearts with a stoppage-time winner.
While the latest, scored by 16-year-old substitute Rio Ngumoha, will live long in the memory, it joins a painful collection of late goals that have cost Newcastle dearly against the Reds.
Older supporters still shudder at the mention of Stan Collymore’s iconic winner in 1996, a moment that defined an era.
Younger fans need no reminder of Darwin Nunez’s 98th-minute strike just two seasons ago, or Fabio Carvalho’s effort the year before that. Some patterns in football are hard to escape.
Yet what made this defeat different was the overwhelming sense of what might have been.
Newcastle played more than half the game with only ten men after Anthony Gordon’s red card and fought back from two goals down to level the score, showing tremendous spirit and togetherness.
They created chances, defended bravely, and for long periods, looked the more likely team to win. But football can be cruel.
Without a recognized center-forward on the pitch, they lacked the cutting edge to turn their pressure into a winning goal. In the end, they were caught by a classic sucker punch in the dying seconds.
The absence of a natural striker was felt throughout the match. Alexander Isak’s ongoing strike action has left a huge void in the team, and the decision to use Anthony Gordon as a makeshift number nine, while well-intentioned, highlighted the club’s failure to adequately replace Callum Wilson, who left for West Ham on a free transfer.
Gordon is a talented player, but he is not a center-forward. His suspension following his red card now compounds the problem, leaving Eddie Howe with even fewer options up front.
It is clear to everyone that Newcastle must sign at least one striker before the transfer window closes. The challenge, as always, is finding the right player at the right price, with the right mindset to handle the pressure of leading the line for a club with sky-high expectations.
The pursuit of Wolves’ Jørgen Strand Larsen has so far been unsuccessful, with a £50 million bid rejected and the Midlands club insisting he is not for sale.
Other targets, like Yoane Wissa of Brentford, have proven too expensive, while moves for players like Benjamin Sesko and Hugo Ekitike have failed to materialize.
With time running out, the club may need to look elsewhere—and one intriguing option beginning to surface is Juventus’ Dušan Vlahović.
The Serbian international has been one of the most talked-about strikers in Europe for several years, and at 25 years old, he is entering the prime of his career. Standing at 6’3”, Vlahović is a classic number nine: powerful, athletic, and clinical in front of goal.
He first burst onto the scene during his time at Fiorentina, where his 21-league goal season in 2020/21 announced him as one of Serie A’s most exciting talents.
A big-money move to Juventus followed, and although he has sometimes struggled with consistency in Turin, his overall record remains impressive—59 goals in 146 appearances for one of Italy’s biggest clubs.
He has also gained valuable experience in the Champions League, something that would serve him well at Newcastle. Perhaps most appealingly, reports from Italy suggest Juventus may be willing to listen to offers as low as £33 million as new manager Igor Tudor looks to reshape his attacking options.
Of course, any move for Vlahović would come with complications, not least his significant wages. But when compared to the £65 million being quoted for Strand Larsen, the overall financial outlay could still represent better value for a player of Vlahović’s pedigree and experience.
He is a proven goalscorer at the highest level, comfortable playing with his back to goal, and capable of scoring all types of finishes. His physical style and aerial ability would suit Newcastle’s direct approach, and he would offer a focal point that the team has been missing.
Most importantly, he is available. While other targets have stalled or become too expensive, Vlahović represents a genuine opportunity to solve Newcastle’s striker crisis with a high-caliber signing.
Eddie Howe has made it clear that the club cannot go through the season without a recognized number nine. The fans agree, and the players—exhausted but proud after their efforts at Anfield—deserve the reinforcement.
The clock is ticking, but sometimes the best deals are done when options seem to be running out. Dušan Vlahović may not have been Newcastle’s first choice, but he could yet turn out to be their smartest.