Newcastle United is still working through several unanswered questions ahead of the new Premier League season, with Anthony Gordon’s departure leaving one important responsibility up for grabs that nobody had talked about until now.
The Magpies started their preseason on the right foot, beating Darlington 3-0, and while the result itself wasn’t really surprising, one moment may have provided an early indication of what might happen in the months ahead and under a new manager.
According to Chronicle
Live’s Sean McCormick, noting what happened in the first preseason friendly of the summer, Will Osula may have emerged as Newcastle’s leading candidate to become the club’s new first-choice penalty taker.
Osula was the man tasked with taking a penalty won by Joe Willock with the Magpies up 1-0 against Darlington, and the Denmark international converted from the spot to double Newcastle’s advantage.
McCormick noted that the role is now vacant following Gordon’s summer move to Barcelona, as the England international had succeeded Alexander Isak as Newcastle’s primary penalty taker and converted all nine of his spot kicks last season.
Although Bruno Guimaraes and Nick Woltemade both scored penalties for Newcastle during the 2025-26 campaign, McCormick points out that each recently missed crucial penalties for their respective countries at the World Cup, potentially opening the door for Osula to take over.
The report also suggests the 22-year-old strengthened his case after finishing last season as Eddie Howe’s preferred striker ahead of Woltemade and Yoane Wissa, although we don’t really know what will happen with a new gaffer in tow.
Osula appeared in 35 games across all competitions last season, scoring nine goals and assisting on two more.
