EDDIE Howe says a fit and firing Callum Wilson is better than any attacking player Newcastle could have signed in the January transfer window.

And Newcastle's head coach insists the striker can still have a future on Tyneside, despite his lack of action so far this season.

Wilson hasn't started a single Premier League game so far this term and has only made four league appearances from the bench.

He missed the early stages of the campaign with a back injury suffered in the summer then had a further setback in December when he was sidelined by a hamstring problem.

But he returned to the squad and came off the bench late on in the midweek Carabao Cup win over Arsenal and will feature at Birmingham City this afternoon as the Magpies kick off their FA Cup campaign.

Newcastle weren't able to make any signings in January but, even if they did, Howe is adamant they wouldn't have been able to bring in a forward as good as Wilson.

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He said: “Without a doubt for me. If he can stay fit he’s an outstanding centre forward. He’s got the experience that we would need in that position, the know how of how we play, the pace, the strength, goalscorer, so yeah, we wouldn’t have been able to recruit anyone close to his level I don’t believe in this window who would have been ready to play.

“The key thing is trying to keep his fit. That’s what Callum wants, that’s what we want and fingers crossed we can male it happen.”

Wilson's current contract is due to expire at the end of the season but Howe insists there can still be a future at the club for the 32-year-old.

“Yeah, absolutely there is," he said.

"I can’t write the future. I can’t predict what’s going to happen. I’d never write Callum Wilson off.”

On the challenges Wilson has faced this season, Howe said: "He’s had a couple of really dark moments when things have really gone against him when he’s then had to re-enter a period of rehab. Sometimes that can be a real challenge mentally as you’ve got to go again but I think that he’s always had a positive outlook.

"He’s always had something on the horizon that he can target and us, in part, still being involved in the Carabao Cup latter stages was one of those targets for him and doing well in the league.

"He’s such a positive person and he’s seeing these games on the horizon and using that as a motivational tool in his recovery.

"I know he’s done that, used it and I just hope that it’s a positive outcome for him personally and he’s back on the pitch scoring goals."