I don't understand the panic - William Osula to Newcastle and the reaction online

After it was revealed on Thursday night that Newcastle United were closing in on the signing of Sheffield United forward William Osula, I saw a lot of frustrated supporters questioning the move on social media.

'Not good enough to replace Wilson', 'what happened to big-money signings' and 'we need a right-winger and right-sided centre-back' were common complaints I picked up on. Certain points I appreciate after a long wait for a major breakthrough that immediately improves our first team, but I don't understand some of the complaints.

On the first concern - 'he's not good enough to replace Callum Wilson' - I think a few have jumped the gun here. It's hard enough signing a back-up striker to Alexander Isak never mind a third-choice option who has clearly been signed as a high-potential talent who can improve under Eddie Howe and eventually become a first-team regular.

When you have Alexander Isak - one of the best strikers in world football right now - it's not easy to recruit a second-choice striker who knows they'll VERY rarely start when Isak is fit. Very few Premier League clubs have two top strikers. But once again, I'm pretty certain Osula - who can play up top and out wide - won't be the only forward signed if Wilson does depart.

If Wilson leaves, I'm very confident another striker arrives - Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been targeted and Jonathan David has been watched long-term - as this is no longer a club who'd leave a young and inexperienced Osula to be Isak's one and only deputy should the Swede get injured. Replacing Wilson won't be cheap or easy due to the everything mentioned in the paragraph above - we could yet keep him one more season and let him run down his contract - but we won't just gamble and swap a proven back-up option to Isak with a raw youngster who needs time, not immediate pressure. I trust the club on that one, which brings me to the next scenario...

If Wilson does stay and inevitably misses patches of the season through injury, we have Anthony Gordon capable of playing up top (Harvey Barnes could then start on the left) and are also waiting to see who arrives as our new right-winger (someone like Bryan Mbeumo is a popular shout and someone more than capable of also filling in up top).

Looking beyond versatile wingers who could step in if needed, we also have to trust that this is a Paul Mitchell signing (as reported by The Telegraph) who our new sporting director believes will benefit hugely from Eddie Howe's coaching. So, if Isak and Wilson (or his potential replacement) are both injured at once and Gordon is needed on the left, I'd trust that the Danish U21 talent who has pace, power and six goals in five FA Cup outings might do OK on the rare occasion he'll be asked to start.

I totally get that there's been a long wait for a big signing and Osula may feel a tad underwhelming after such a quiet and frustrating July. However, I still believe a quality right-sided centre-back and right-winger will sign before the window shuts on August 30th.

There's no doubt we're leaving it a little late, giving any new centre-back or winger little pre-season to bed into the side or reach the high fitness levels demanded by Howe, but I believe Osula is a good investment and not someone who'll be stepping into Isak's shoes the second he's not available.