Newcastle United’s 3-2 loss at Liverpool was the latest in a series of games that have ended in stoppage-time agony against the Merseysiders.
Stan Collymore’s late strike in 1996 and Kevin Keegan’s memorable slump over the hoardings still haunt older supporters, while younger fans recall Darwin Nunez’s stoppage-time winner in August 2023 or Fabio Carvalho’s decisive 98th-minute finish a year earlier at Anfield.
It was a cruel defeat for a team that displayed determination and spirit, fighting back from two goals down despite playing nearly the entire contest with 10 men and lacking a natural striker. Many supporters feel Newcastle would have won had Alexander Isak not been striking or if a proven forward had been signed rather than using Anthony Gordon up front.
The Magpies poured everything into the contest but left Anfield empty-handed, with further issues to manage after Gordon collected a three-game ban for a needless late tackle on Virgil van Dijk.
Despite creating plenty, the defeat only underlined their need for a recognised striker, and time is running out as their £50m bid for Wolves’ Jorgen Strand Larsen has already been rejected.
Newcastle must bring in at least one centre forward before the transfer window closes. It’s vital for their hopes of challenging near the top of the Premier League and competing strongly in the Champions League and domestic competitions. Alexander Isak’s saga has dominated the summer, with the striker pushing for Liverpool while the Magpies insist he is not leaving.
Whether Isak can be reintegrated remains unknown, but Newcastle have still not signed a replacement for Callum Wilson, who left for West Ham United. Yoane Wissa is keen on a move, but Brentford’s £60m valuation has pushed the Magpies toward other options. Reports from The Athletic claim Wolves will not consider selling Strand Larsen after rejecting a £50m bid. Efforts to sign Benjamin Sesko and Hugo Ekitike failed, while pursuits of Liam Delap and Joao Pedro also collapsed.
At this stage, fans are beginning to doubt whether Newcastle will secure a striker at all, though a frantic scramble in the final days feels inevitable.
“I don’t believe the club will allow that scenario to unfold,” Eddie Howe explained. “We cannot go through the season without a proper centre forward — with all respect to Will Osula. He’s progressing very well, but his Premier League experience is still limited.”
Wolves are expected to price Newcastle out of a move for Strand Larsen. Having already lost Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri, the club fear selling the Norwegian could ruin their chances of survival, particularly with little time to source a replacement. Unless something changes quickly, Newcastle must identify different options. One player long linked with England is Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic, who may represent the ideal target.
Vlahovic owns an impressive tally of 88 goals and 17 assists in 203 Serie A matches, plus 14 goals in 36 caps for Serbia, where he partners ex-Magpie Aleksandar Mitrovic. He broke through with Fiorentina in 2020/21, hitting 21 goals in 37 games, and nearly joined Arsenal before opting instead for a £66.6m switch to Juventus in January 2022.
Standing 6ft 3, Vlahovic is a powerful centre forward, and at 25, is arguably entering his prime. He possesses great technical quality, remarkable strength, and a natural instinct for goals, drawing comparisons to Zlatan Ibrahimovic. “If we talk about players, I admired Ibra most for his mentality and refusal to surrender. He never allowed anyone to dominate him,” Vlahovic once told Dazn, via One Football.
In a Juventus shirt, Vlahovic has 59 goals in 146 appearances, alongside six in 16 Champions League outings. Yet new coach Igor Tudor could allow him to depart after adding Jonathan David, with reports also linking Randal Kolo Muani as a top target. AC Milan were linked during the summer in a reunion with Massimo Allegri, but according to Corriere dello Sport, wage issues make that deal improbable.
This situation could provide Newcastle an opening to strike for Vlahovic, especially amid claims he could be available for just £33m. The striker scored 17 goals in 49 games last season, including 10 in Serie A. He began this campaign on the bench against Parma but still netted after coming on for the last 10 minutes.
Ultimately, Vlahovic is the same age as Strand Larsen yet around £30m cheaper, with the added benefit of top-level experience in Serie A and the Champions League. Wages may be complicated, but his potential fee makes him an excellent solution to Newcastle’s persistent striker dilemma.
