Newcastle offered chance to sign “monster” £65m St, he’s a bigger talent than Sesko
It’s fair to say that Newcastle United supporters have not had much to cheer about during this summer’s transfer window. Frustrations have been mounting, and optimism has been hard to come by, with the club struggling to land some of their most high-profile targets.
To start with the few positives, the Magpies have managed to bring in winger Anthony Elanga and goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale. The latter has already made his presence felt, notably saving a penalty in Friday night’s pre-season clash with Espanyol at St James’ Park. Yet, for all the small victories, there remains a glaring absence in Eddie Howe’s side — Alexander Isak. The Swedish striker has not featured in any pre-season fixtures so far, with widespread reports suggesting he is pushing for a move to Liverpool.
With Isak’s future looking increasingly uncertain, Newcastle appear to be preparing for life without their talismanic forward. The big question is — have they found a worthy successor?
The search for a new frontman
Newcastle’s hunt for a striker has been anything but straightforward. According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, the club were locked in a head-to-head battle with Manchester United for highly-rated Slovenian forward Benjamin Šeško. Ultimately, Newcastle were left disappointed as the RB Leipzig star opted for a move to Old Trafford.
Šeško’s rejection joins a growing list of setbacks for the Tyneside club this summer. High-profile pursuits of Hugo Ekitiké, Liam Delap, and João Pedro all ended in frustration. Now, though, a fresh name has emerged.
Graeme Bailey of TBR Football reports that Newcastle have been offered the chance to sign Porto striker Samu Aghehowa. Ornstein and Adam Crafton add that the Magpies are actively “considering” the move, though they will have to weigh up Porto’s reported £65 million valuation for the 21-year-old Spain international.
Could Aghehowa be the man to lead Newcastle’s line in the post-Isak era?
Who is Samu Aghehowa?
To clear up any potential confusion, it’s worth noting that until November last year, Aghehowa was known as Samu Omorodion. He chose to adopt his maternal surname to honour his mother.
Aghehowa’s career trajectory has been remarkable. He burst onto the scene on the opening day of the 2023/24 La Liga season, scoring on his senior debut for Granada against Atlético Madrid. That performance impressed Atleti so much that they triggered his €6 million release clause just days later — although he never made a first-team appearance for them.
Instead, he was loaned to Deportivo Alavés, where he netted eight league goals, including home and away strikes against Barcelona. Those performances drew interest from across Europe, with Chelsea even agreeing a £34 million fee for the striker last summer. However, the deal collapsed late on due to complications over image rights, and he subsequently joined Porto for £12.7 million.
Since then, Aghehowa has flourished. He has broken into the Spanish national team, making his debut against Switzerland in November and featuring in the UEFA Nations League semi-final win over France.
Style and strengths
Football Talent Scout’s Jacek Kulig has described Aghehowa as a “monster” — a forward blessed with pace, strength, aerial ability, and a natural instinct for goal. The Athletic’s Elias Burke and Gillian Kasirye note that he is the “prototype” modern centre-forward: tall, quick, physically imposing, and blessed with exceptional movement inside the box.
Statistically, his numbers compare favourably to Šeško’s over a similar number of minutes. Aghehowa has scored more goals, significantly outperformed his expected goals, and taken over 20% of his touches inside the opposition penalty area — a sign of his natural poacher’s instinct.
There is, however, the caveat that he has been playing in Portugal’s Primeira Liga, ranked seventh in the world by Global Football Rankings — four places below Germany’s Bundesliga. Yet Aghehowa has also proven himself on the continental stage, scoring six goals in nine European matches and finding the net twice in the Club World Cup.
The verdict
With Šeško now unavailable, Aghehowa could represent the best attainable option for Newcastle in this window. While his £65 million price tag is steep, his combination of age, potential, and proven ability at multiple levels could make him a smart investment.
If Newcastle are serious about replacing Isak with a forward capable of leading the line for years to come, Aghehowa might just be the man to spearhead their next chapter.