Chris Waddle: Osimhen, Alexander-Arnold and Newcastle's Summer Rebuild

England football hero Chris Waddle believes Newcastle United need a major rebuild this summer, and has identified Victor Osimhen as the ideal man to fill the Alexander Isak -shaped hole in their attack.

Speaking exclusively to BOYLE Sports , the former Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur star also assessed whether Trent Alexander-Arnold has a future at Real Madrid under Jose Mourinho .

Newcastle's Outgoings

Replacing Gordon

Newcastle United need to strengthen this summer, but I think there will be players leaving too. There's no doubt about it. Eddie Howe knows it too. But he needs to bring in five or six good players — not just any old players, good players — if they want to challenge again to get into the top four next season. Newcastle 's squad is thin. Harvey Barnes has done well when he's played instead of Anthony Gordon , but Gordon has played a lot of games up front this season because the team had no pace, and it suited him at times. Anthony Elanga still hasn't hit the ground running, and that's been the problem for Eddie Howe . His big signings have all got question marks around them.

I was surprised they signed Nick Woltemade . Newcastle are a team that play on the front foot, and this guy is six-foot-five, but he's not the quickest, so he can't really press. They've tried to play him as a 10 and even tried to play him as a midfielder. We still don't know Yoane Wissa 's best position. I don't think he is a number nine, but he was signed to be a number nine, so I still don't think Newcastle have replaced Alexander Isak . I think Woltemade and Wissa were both panic buys. Eddie Howe has got to address that for next season, and he needs to get a new number nine.

William Osula has done really well since coming in, and he was more or less viewed as a squad player, but he's scored a few goals and looked lively. There could be an answer for Newcastle there. Sandro Tonali , Bruno Guimaraes , and Joelinton have all had their journey with Newcastle now and could be looking to try something else. I know Tonali will not be at the World Cup , and Joelinton hasn't been picked, but Guimaraes will be in the shop window this summer out in America, so I think there could be a decent turnover in players at Newcastle this summer.

I'm sure Eddie Howe is thinking this team isn't so bad, we'd give anybody a game on our day, but he's probably aware they're a bit weak in certain departments, and then you've got players like Dan Burn getting on now in age. Fabian Schär is getting on in age now, too. Kieran Trippier is obviously leaving. They still have Sven Botman and Malick Thiaw , who looks a decent player, but you look around the team, and you can see they need about five or six new faces to make this squad anywhere near good enough for a top-four push again. That's without talking about the ones who will probably leave.

Can Guimaraes Sale Be A Coutinho Moment For Newcastle?

I'm a bit old-fashioned in the world of football these days, but to me, if Bruno Guimaraes , Anthony Gordon , or Sandro Tonali have had enough of it at Newcastle United , then why don't they just go and knock on the manager's door and say they want to leave? Come out and say it. Now, if somebody comes in and offers £80 million for Sandro Tonali , Newcastle have to take a serious look at that, because it's massive money, and sometimes you've got to take that money. When I left Tottenham Hotspur for Marseille , they sold me. I didn't ask to leave the football club. They sold me because they got a very good offer for me.

Now, Newcastle might still look at Tonali and think they've got to keep him. He's still young-ish. Anthony Gordon 's still young, too. Guimaraes is getting on for 29, so if they get a good bid in, they might take that and let him go. But if a player is not happy, be a man and go and tell the manager you want to go. I want a new challenge. That either leads to a new contract or a new challenge. I don't get it when players just sit on the fence all day and say they don't know anything about it. It's simple. Do you want to leave or not? Stop the speculation and let's get on with it.

But we all know if you've asked to leave, you're waiving your rights to more money, so a lot of them are told never to ask to leave. Let the club sell you. But I'm a believer that if you want to leave, say so.

Newcastle's Attack

Osimhen To Replace Isak?

I like Victor Osimhen . He works very hard. I've watched him five or six times this year in Turkey, and I like his work ethic. He's a player who wants to win, and he works really hard to win. He always runs hard. He's always wanting to put himself about. I was surprised he went to Turkey. I know he gets looked after over there, but he's better than the Turkish league. I was very surprised when he was linked with Chelsea , but it didn't happen. He was perfect for them and perfect for the Premier League .

He'd still be a great fit for any team in the Premier League , and I'd like to get him in as the number nine for Newcastle , because he's very consistent, very mobile, and a good technical player who's good in the air, and his work rate's great. If he were to become available, there would be at least five clubs trying to chase him down, let alone Newcastle . People say players peak at 28, 29, and 30, so he's got plenty of time to play his best football in the Premier League . I just don't know why he didn't come to the Premier League the last time he was linked. Maybe the offer they made him at Galatasaray was too good with all the bonuses and add-ons.

He looked every bit a Premier League forward, but it just didn't happen, and it makes me wonder if he doesn't want to play in the Premier League . Maybe he prefers it in Turkey, where, let's be honest, there are only three or four teams and the rest of the league you easily beat. I thought after what he'd done at Napoli that he would want to test himself in the Premier League like most players do.

Trent Alexander-Arnold

Trent To Newcastle?

Tino Livramento is a very good right-back, but he gets a lot of injuries. Kieran Trippier had been filling in for Livramento, so I'm sure Newcastle United will be wary of leaving themselves short given his injury record. They will need another right-back this summer to provide cover with Trippier leaving. Could Trent Alexander-Arnold offer something different? I'd rather see him settle down and find success at Real Madrid . He's left Liverpool for a very toxic dressing room, but he needs to give it another go for another year, because he has the footballing ability to play there.

Jose Mourinho could be exactly what Trent needs right now. He'll spell it out to him very simply and make it easy for him to make his mind up. This is how I want to play as a right-back. I don't want you doing this or doing that. If you don't like it, you know where the door is. There's no need to beat around the bush. Trent Alexander-Arnold has had his injuries and other problems since moving to Real Madrid , but I'd like to see him give it another crack of the whip next season before looking for a move.

The first season in a new league can always be awkward, because you have to learn a new language, you're settling in, it's a different culture, and it's different football, regardless of what people say, and then there's the pressure of playing for Real Madrid . There's no reason why he should go and knock on the door to say he wants to go back to England this summer. I think that would be daft. He's got to give it another go because he's at a massive football club and it's a great opportunity.

Can Trent Emulate Modric?

Trent Alexander-Arnold has had a mixed season, and he will know that, but he's got so much ability. When he was at Liverpool , he was allowed to drift into midfield, almost playing in the centre circle. He's a fantastic passer of the ball with a great range of passes he can make. Maybe Real Madrid need to look at what he can offer again and capitalise on that, because so far he's been played as an out-and-out full-back.

But that's up to Trent and Jose Mourinho to figure that out, and I'm sure Mourinho will be looking at that to get him on the ball with his quality.

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