The summer transfer window for Newcastle United in 2025 has been a game-changer, with smart purchases and big-name departures changing the way they approach. The signings of Stuttgart’s Nick Woltemade for a club-record £69 million and Brentford’s Yoane Wissa for £55 million fill the gap left by Alexander Isak’s £125 million departure to Liverpool and Callum Wilson’s free transfer to West Ham United. As the Magpies get ready for a busy September with games in the Premier League, Carabao Cup, and Champions League, analyst Paul Merson has pointed out that Woltemade and Wissa will have to score more goals than Isak did in the 2024–25 season, when he scored 23 goals in the Premier League.
This article gives a full look at Newcastle’s new striker pair, the dramatic Wissa transfer saga, and the issues the club will face in the future, using all the information that was available on September 3, 2025.
Newcastle’s plan for summer transfers
Newcastle spent a lot of money during the transfer window that ended on September 1, 2025, to improve a team that placed fifth in the Premier League season of 2024–25.They now currently are 8/1 to finish in the top for according to platforms like Apple Pay casino Australia.
Anthony Elanga came from Nottingham Forest for £55 million to add speed and directness to the wings. Malick Thiaw came from AC Milan for £35 million to make the defence stronger. Jacob Ramsey came from Aston Villa for £43 million to make the midfield more versatile. Aaron Ramsdale came from Southampton to give the team more depth in goalkeeping. Nick Woltemade was signed for £69 million from Stuttgart as a long-term striker investment, and Yoane Wissa was signed for £55 million from Brentford as an experienced Premier League front.
Isak’s record-breaking exit, Sean Longstaff’s move to West Ham, and Odysseas Vlachodimos’s loan to Sevilla all balanced out the more than £250 million in new players. Eddie Howe’s focus on attacking reinforcements showed that he wanted to fix the team’s lack of depth and consistency from previous season. Wilson’s one goal in 22 appearances made it apparent how important this was.
The Woltemade-Wissa Partnership: Merson’s Problem
Paul Merson, a pundit, has set a clear aim for Newcastle’s new strikers: can they score more than the 24 goals that Isak and Wilson scored last season? Merson commented on Sky Sports, “Eddie Howe will be hoping that the two guys score more goals than Isak, and I think we’ll all be watching that.” At the end of the season, it will come down to whether the two players at Newcastle can score more goals than Isak. And if they do, they made the proper choice.
With a total investment of £124 million and the loss of such a high-quality player, the pressure is very high.
Nick Woltemade: The Next Big Thing
Nick Woltemade, a 23-year-old German international, came for £69 million, which included £5 million in extras. This was more than Isak’s previous club-record fee. At 6 feet 6 inches tall, he got the nickname “Two-Metre Messi-Musiala” from Stuttgart captain Atakan Karazor because he was so tall, strong, and skilled.
Woltemade scored 17 goals in 33 games for Stuttgart in 2024–25 and was the best scorer in the 2025 U21 European Championship. These accomplishments show how good he may be. The Guardian calls him “deceptively skilled” because of his quickness, dribbling, and ability to play with his back to the goal. He can finish crosses, which will help Elanga and Harvey Barnes, but he hasn’t played in the Premier League before, which is a danger.
The fact that they chose the No. 27 shirt over the empty No. 9 shirt shows that the team may still be looking for another striker. Alan Shearer was careful, but he lauded Howe’s track record of developing forwards like Isak and said he was hopeful about Woltemade’s future.
Yoane Wissa: Proven in the Premier League
Yoane Wissa’s £55 million move from Brentford offers a proven goal threat to the Premier League. The 29-year-old DR Congo international scored 20 goals in all competitions last season, 19 of which were in the league and were not penalties. This made him the second-highest scorer in the league behind Mohamed Salah. Wissa is a great replacement for Wilson because he makes smart runs, finishes well, and can head the ball well, as shown by his four headed goals. Howe’s flexible style is a wonderful match for his ability to play in many positions on the front line, and his quick mobility has already been called a crucial weapon.
The Athletic says that Wissa’s great stats in support and overlapping runs might make him a great partner for Woltemade, but Howe could want to switch them around at first. He is ready to play in the Premier League right away, so he will probably start against Wolves on September 13.
The Wissa Transfer Saga: A Drama on Deadline Day
Keith Downie of Sky Sports said that Newcastle finished the purchase with only 30 seconds to spare before the 9:00 pm deadline. This almost stopped Wissa’s move in a dramatic way. A missing signature made everyone run around the training area in a panic to finish the paperwork and avoid another legendary fax machine incident with David De Gea.
Brentford first agreed to sell Wissa for £30 million, but then changed their minds and asked for £50–60 million because their roster was getting smaller. They didn’t want to sell because they had already lost Bryan Mbeumo to Manchester United, Christian Norgaard to Arsenal, and manager Thomas Frank to Tottenham.
Paul Merson called Wissa’s actions a “dangerous precedent” since he blacked up his Instagram profile and took down references to Brentford. Some fans on X called it a red flag, while others praised his determination. In the end, Wissa got to Newcastle early on deadline day for his medical, which showed how much he wanted to play in the Champions League.
Nicolas Jackson: Missed Opportunity
Paul Merson was surprised that Newcastle didn’t go after Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson, who went on loan to Bayern Munich with a £56.2 million obligation to purchase. Jackson scored 10 goals in 30 Premier League appearances last season, making him a possible replacement for Wilson. However, Newcastle chose Wissa’s proven output and Woltemade’s potential instead.
Newcastle’s Busy Schedule in September
From September 13 to October 1, 2025, Newcastle will have a tough schedule of games:
Newcastle vs. Wolves in the Premier League on September 13 at 3:00 pm (no UK coverage)
Newcastle vs. Barcelona in the Champions League on September 18 at 8:00 p.m. on TNT Sports
Bournemouth and Newcastle play in the Premier League on September 21 at 2:00 PM on Sky Sports.
Newcastle vs. Bradford in the Carabao Cup on September 24 at 7:45 p.m. on Sky Sports+.
Newcastle vs. Arsenal in the Premier League on September 28 at 4:30 p.m. on Sky Sports.
Union SG vs. Newcastle in the Champions League on October 1 at 5:45 p.m. on TNT Sports
Newcastle’s rising status is obvious from the fact that seven of their next ten games will be shown live. The Champions League match against Barcelona and the game against Arsenal will be very important, especially since Howe is adding Woltemade and Wissa to his attack. The fact that they drew 0-0 with Aston Villa and Leeds United early on shows how important it is to find goals immediately.
Strategic Challenges and Implications
Woltemade’s ability to adapt and Wissa’s ability to be consistent are key to the success of Newcastle’s striker revamp. Howe may not want to play them together as much since he likes to have one striker, but their adaptability might make tactics more interesting.
Isak’s sale made sure that the team followed UEFA’s cost requirements, but the busy schedule makes people worry about depth and weariness. Injuries, like Joe Willock’s absence, will make things even harder for the team.
There has been a lot of talk about player power, with both Isak and Wissa using social media to their advantage. This has split fans, but Wissa’s dedication since joining implies he wants to make an impact. Newcastle has the players they need to do well this season, but whether Woltemade and Wissa can perform on the field will determine how well they do. They have Bruno Guimarães, Sandro Tonali, and Jacob Ramsey in the midfield, and young players like Alfie Harrison pushing through.
