Newcastle sold a homegrown Isak for just £500k, he’s now worth £50M monster who’s scoring for fun
Newcastle United are once again looking to compete for trophies after last season’s Carabao Cup success, though this campaign feels different with the shadow of Alexander Isak’s controversial departure hanging over the club.
The Swedish striker, who once broke the Magpies’ transfer record when he arrived from Real Sociedad in a £63 million deal in 2022, went on to justify his fee with consistent brilliance before his blockbuster £125 million move to Liverpool shattered the British transfer record.
Isak had been central to Newcastle’s attacking identity, not only scoring goals but also dazzling with his elegance, creativity, and ability to adapt seamlessly into Eddie Howe’s high-intensity system.
His departure has left a gaping hole, one that new arrivals Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa are now tasked with filling. Both are talented forwards, but expecting either to instantly replicate Isak’s influence is a challenge of its own.
Wissa, who joined Brentford four years ago from Lorient, enjoyed the best season of his career last term, scoring 19 league goals and earning high praise for his clinical finishing.
Sky Sports’ Mark McAdam went as far as describing him as “sensational,” and his rise suggests he can be a reliable scorer for Newcastle.
Woltemade, meanwhile, arrives with promise and a strong technical base, but he lacks the pedigree and killer instinct that defined Isak’s time at St. James’ Park.
Howe’s system thrives on sharp transitional play, demanding a striker who is both intelligent and ruthless in front of goal, which puts immense pressure on these newcomers to deliver quickly.
To illustrate how the two compare statistically, here’s a breakdown of their 2024/25 league contributions:
| Stats (*per game) | Wissa | Woltemade |
|---|---|---|
| Matches (starts) | 35 (34) | 28 (17) |
| Goals | 19 | 12 |
| Assists | 4 | 2 |
| Shots (on target)* | 2.6 (1.2) | 1.8 (0.9) |
| Big chances missed | 17 | 11 |
| Pass completion | 79% | 72% |
| Big chances created | 3 | 8 |
| Key passes* | 0.8 | 1.3 |
| Dribbles* | 0.4 | 1.1 |
| Ball recoveries* | 2.3 | 1.9 |
| Tackles + interceptions* | 0.8 | 0.5 |
| Duels (won)* | 3.4 | 4.4 |
(Data via Sofascore)
While Newcastle fans will be eager to see how these signings adapt, there remains a lingering sense of regret when looking back at a player the club once owned but failed to nurture: Ivan Toney.
Toney joined Newcastle a decade ago from Northampton Town at the age of 19, hailed as one of the most underrated young strikers in the country.
However, his time on Tyneside never truly got off the ground. After four separate loan spells, he was sold to Peterborough United for just £500,000, a fee that now seems shockingly low considering the player he went on to become.
At Peterborough, Toney blossomed into a prolific striker, scoring 49 goals in 94 matches and catching the eye of Brentford, who later signed him.
Under Thomas Frank, he transformed into one of the most feared centre-forwards in the Premier League, with his manager famously describing him as “a monster.” For the Bees, he registered 72 goals in 141 appearances, becoming their talisman and spearheading their rise.
Toney’s physicality, clever link-up play, and composure in front of goal made him a nightmare for defenders, and in many ways, he mirrored the qualities Newcastle found in Isak.
While he might not possess the same burst of pace as the Swede, his ability to create opportunities, dominate physically, and score consistently gave him elite-level status.
In 2024, Toney moved to Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia for £40 million, a move that some saw as prioritising financial rewards over legacy. Yet, his performances proved he had not lost his sharpness.
He netted 30 goals in his debut season in the Saudi Pro League and has already started the new campaign with five more strikes.
Remarkably, his scoring tally last season even surpassed Isak’s, underlining just how dangerous he still is. Prior to that, Toney had scored 36 goals across three seasons in the Premier League, cementing his reputation as one of England’s most clinical forwards.
For Newcastle, the pain lies in hindsight. They once had Toney on their books, a striker who could have been an ideal fit in Howe’s modern system. His intelligence, power, and versatility would have made him invaluable in their current pursuit of trophies.
Instead, he was let go for a fraction of his value, and while it would now be impossible to bring him back at a reasonable cost, the missed opportunity is hard to ignore.
What makes it even more striking is that Newcastle effectively sold their first “Isak” before the Swedish star ever arrived.
Toney was the homegrown talent who could have been their leading man for years, but circumstances and mismanagement meant he never got the chance.
Now, he stands as a £50 million “monster” whose journey away from Newcastle serves as a cautionary tale about patience and foresight in developing young players.