Newcastle United news: Expert suggests ‘new signing’ after what he spotted from Alexander Isak
Noel Whelan has claimed Alexander Isak will be like a “new signing” for Newcastle United and could propel them to Champions League qualification.
The former Leeds striker was speaking exclusively to Football Insider as the 23-year-old returned to action in the Magpies’ shock FA Cup exit against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday (7 January).
Isak joined Newcastle for a club-record fee in the summer window but played just three times before suffering a serious hamstring injury.
The Sweden international showed flashes of brilliance in his early appearances for Eddie Howe’s side, scoring twice in the Premier League.
Newcastle remain third in the top flight but have seen their form stagnate of late with draws against Leeds United and league leaders Arsenal.
The Magpies face Leicester City in the League Cup on Tuesday (10 January) with a place in the semi-final at stake.
Whelan told Football Insider’s Ewan Kingsbury: “To have a player of this magnitude returning at this point in the season is a massive boost.
“They’ve got the best defensive record in the league, so adding even more firepower and quality will mean they can keep winning games.
“He’s a player who can keep them in that top four, that’s for sure. It’s like a new signing for Newcastle at this point.
“They’ve got some seriously quality options in attack. I think Newcastle fans are probably a bit amazed about how they’ve turned it around from 12 months ago, even if they have gone out of the FA Cup.
“They’ve got a great chance of securing Champions League football this season, as well as going far in the League Cup.”
In other news, pundit backs Eddie Howe after “bizarre” Newcastle United development this week.