This piece is about the emergence of Newcastle striker, William Osula, as one of the options in this time that Super Eagles’ attack is not getting younger.
Victor Osimhen (27) remains world-class, but he himself, Taiwo Awoniyi (27) and Paul Onuachu (31) are either in their late 20s or early 30s. Osimhen, being the attraction magnet and the preferred Number 9, is arguably at the peak of his powers and has the capacity to function at that level for the foreseeable future.
However, while at this peak, the Super Eagles have narrowly missed out on consecutive FIFA World Cup editions. By the next World Cup tournament, they would all be slowly approaching the downside of the football age curve. This projected question now is, “Who comes next?”
Also Read: NFF Approaches Newcastle United Striker Over Super Eagles Switch
To answer this question, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has run a familiar script with a new name. They identify and open talks with a European-born talent with Nigerian heritage, hoping for a switch. Sometimes it is magical, like Ademola Lookman and other times it fades quietly like Brian Idowu.
The latest name on the list is William Osula. You might remember him fondly as a Manchester United fan considering that he scored the goal that dealt interim manager Michael Carrick his first defeat in charge of the Red Devils.
Danish sports magazine Tipsbladet revealed through journalist Farzam Abolhosseini that the NFF reached out to Osula through his backroom staff to prise him away from Denmark. The move comes at a time when Osula is in excellent goal-scoring form.
Denmark, like Nigeria, will miss the World Cup, so this is expected to play a small role in the decision. In this piece, Completesports.com’s ALLI FESOMADE analyzes William Osula, examining what he offers and, more critically, how he actually fits in the Super Eagles’ plans.
Osula (22) currently plays for the Magpies (Newcastle United) in the Premier League and has expressed his desire to represent a national team in a publication Tipsbladet made in 2022. Denmark coach Brian Riemer has lavishly praised him as an exceptional top talent whose pressing game is insanely good.
Riemer also remarked that Osula moves at an incredible speed and is really good at coming in and changing football games. Reports have it that the Danish national team has called him up but Denmark does not play international football until September 24, giving the NFF approximately five months to convince him about the switch.
William Osula was born to a Nigerian father and Danish mother. He has represented Denmark at the youth level but is yet to make a senior appearance. On April 24, news broke that the NFF have made contact with WIlliam Osula to sway the Danish-born talent into embracing the green and white of his paternal roots.
The NFF sees this move as part of their plans to rebuild the Super Eagles for the future. You may recall their latest success with Wrexham’s goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo (24). Both players fall within a certain age bracket that shows the football federation is intentional with its targets.
Should William Osula make the switch, the 22-year-old could be in line for his first call-up ahead of next month’s Unity Cup, as well as friendly matches against Poland and Portugal later in June.
The data on William Osula’s 2025/26 Premier League campaign is clear about his strengths and weaknesses. Across 638 minutes (20 matches, 4 starts), he has scored 4 goals. Osula is a clinical finisher, especially in the box but has limited creative influence.
Data suggests Osula’s strengths lie in his finishing, poaching and pressing. He does not, however, pose strong Aerial threats neither does he flourish at providing for his teammates. Osula has also had limited involvement in the passages of play this season.
Osula’s shot conversion rate is exceptional, and he consistently outperforms expected goals metrics. In the central area inside the box, his finishing is rated outstanding compared to other Premier League strikers.
Defensively, Osula is also an interesting specimen. Besides pressing, he also excels at ball recoveries. His defensive intensity is outstanding in the opposition penalty box, a rarity for a striker. Osula has limited carries but he rarely loses the ball.
Osula’s ball retention is great both in defensive areas and offensive areas, especially in the central areas in front of the penalty areas. So far, his profile does not fit that of a wide forward. His numbers rather speak to a pure poacher who presses hard but needs others to create for him. Next up we will see how Osula compares to Nigeria’s current strikers.
William Osula (Newcastle) versus Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray)
The Osula versus Osimhen comparison is as you would expect. Victor Osimhen swallows him up in playmaking, hold-up play, aerial threat, run quality and pressing. Osula is not without his flowers. His excellent poaching ability and outstanding finishing mark him as a threat in front of goal, clearly outperforming Osimhen in this regard.
Though both players can be considered effective strikers, Osimhen’s experience combined with his all-around game gives him the edge, indicating that he is a more well-rounded attacking player at this stage of their careers.
If they swapped places in their respective clubs, Osula’s goal-scoring prowess makes him a more valuable asset outrightly, but he would need to work on his involvement and team contributions to maximize his effectiveness.
William Osula (Newcastle) versus Paul Onuachu (Trabzonspor)
This comparative analysis does not shunt much from what we observed earlier. Once again, Osula would likely be the more effective striker in terms of movement and finishing. Paul Onuachu wins on aerials and hold-up play.
While Osula has shown good run quality and holds his own in pressing, Onuachu brings considerable experience. When it comes down to involvement and providing for teammates, Onuachu also slightly matches him in these areas. Onuachu’s physicality and experience could make him a valuable asset in situations where such is needed.
William Osula (Newcastle) versus Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest)
This season, William Osula’s and Awoniyi’s numbers are the closest. Of all the strikers compared, both currently play in the Premier League. Unfortunately, Awoniyi’s struggles with Nottingham Forest have really impacted his numbers, and this is the season of his professional career where he is expected to be at the peak of his powers, which makes it more disturbing.
Despite both being average in hold-up play and similar in aerial threat, Osula has a higher ceiling compared to Awoniyi. His profile positions him as a promising striker for the future, whereas Awoniyi showcases a more all-rounded skill set, potentially beneficial for a team that requires playmaking and experience. Awoniyi also has better run quality.
As we wrap this piece up, let’s add a quick pointer to this NFF recruitment strategy. Homegrown talents understandably do not have the same development cycle as the foreign-born talents but switching allegiance is not a strategy that works every time. Osula’s age and potential for development suggest he may surpass all three options in the future if he continues to refine his game but now it is time for broader concerns.
When Ademola Lookman switched from England to Nigeria in 2022, he was 24 years old at the time and older than Osula is now. He had already played Premier League football for Everton, Fulham, and Leicester. Lookman’s impact was immediate. At the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, he scored three goals, including a brace in the round of 16, and provided creative width as an inverted forward. Lookman offered both creativity and finishing.
The key difference between Lookman and Osula is versatility. Lookman could play wide, create chances, and score. Osula, per his report, flourishes majorly as a box-only player. That makes him harder to fit into a system that already has Osimhen as the central reference.
Also Read: Osula Has All Attributes To Be An Exciting Player For Us — Newcastle Boss, Howe
Brian Idowu also chose Nigeria ahead of the 2018 World Cup after feeling overlooked by Russia. He was a natural option at left-back, a position of need at the time. He started two group stage matches, then he slowly faded, and within a year, he was out of the squad.
Brian Idowu’s last appearance for the Super Eagles of Nigeria was in a friendly match against Uganda which ended goalless. Looking in retrospect, Idowu’s decline was more about his level, and once Gernot Rohr had better options in players Jamiu Collins and Zaidu Sanusi, his international career ended.
As with Arthur Okonkwo, Osula switching alone guarantees nothing. If he cannot outperform Osimhen, Awoniyi, or even a fit Sadiq Umar, over time he will play fewer minutes until he becomes out of favour.
To balance things, what William Osula currently has is impressive and the NFF can see the quality as well. Moreover, he is on the young side and can grow exponentially into an explosive forward.
If things go right, his profile suggests he could be an ace card from the bench, especially with the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations lurking around the corner and this golden generation long to end their wait for a major trophy.
