The perfect Wissa replacement is making waves in Newcastle’s academy

A 2-1 win over Hull City helped quiet the noise before the international break, but not everyone will be convinced by Matthias Jaissle just yet. The Newcastle United boss looks the part and certainly talks the talk, but results like a 4-1 defeat against Leeds United have certainly raised red flags.

That said, fingers are likely to be pointed beyond the technical area should the Magpies struggle for consistency following the international break.

REUTERS/Scott Heppell

After all, it is an open secret that Newcastle’s recruitment failure left Jaissle with several issues in the summer.

Wissa facing race against time to salvage Newcastle career

One of the biggest problems that Newcastle left Jaissle to deal with is a lack of goals. Although Bazoumana Toure and Matias Fernandez-Pardo arrived, neither have ever been serial goalscorers throughout their young careers.

And then there’s the issue of Anthony Gordon leaving before Nick Woltemade headed out on loan to Napoli to sum up his Newcastle struggles. In an ideal world, the Magpies’ £69m arrival would have worked out. That simply hasn’t been the case, though.

REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth

What Jaissle was left with instead is Yoane Wissa. The £55m arrival could be forgiven for a disappointing debut campaign full of injury struggles and false starts. This season, he won’t receive the same patience.

To his credit, the work rate has been there. Newcastle can have no complaints on that front. Only three strikers have made more sprints than Wissa so far this season, and he also ranks inside the top 20 for distance covered. In a system centred around intensity, he ticks a key box.

The brutal truth is that Newcastle didn’t just pay £55m for work rate. They splashed out to replace Alexander Isak’s goals – to welcome a player who scored 20 goals in all competitions one season before arriving, and not the one who has scored one goal in seven games in the current campaign.

It’s a major problem for Jaissle, and with the transfer window closed, the manager may have no choice but to turn towards the academy, where a solution lies.

Why Newcastle’s academy star can replace Yoane Wissa

If the Magpies are desperately scrambling for attacking quality, then they may not need to look far. Whilst results have varied at senior level, the youth side has been in fine form – winning five of six games and scoring as many as 19 goals so far this season.

During that run, a lot of the focus has been on the exciting Vakhtang Salia, who arrived last summer to much anticipation. The exciting teenager has been involved in four goals in five games so far this season to add to that anticipation, but he’s not the only name that Newcastle fans should be looking out for.

Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith

As Wissa’s barren run in front of goal continues, Jaissle could turn to the free-scoring Alfie Hutchison. The 17-year-old has been in excellent form for the U18s this season, scoring six goals and assisting another three in just five games. He’s ready to move up a level and then some.

At 17, Hutchison’s time is unlikely to arrive in the coming months, but he will certainly be on Jaissle’s radar if his form continues.

It’s worth noting, to that end, that Wissa is already 30 years old, and will be bowing out of Newcastle’s frontline in the coming years if his form doesn’t catch up to him before that day arrives.

In a world full of big-money stars, it would be refreshing for Newcastle to turn Hutchison into an undeniable bargain after they swooped in and secured his signature from Rangers’ U18s in 2025.