Newcastle United have their fresh January transfer priority regardless of Callum Wilson's fitness

It is the news Newcastle United fans dreaded - yet have come to expect. Another Callum Wilson setback, his third in as many months, to delay his return to the Magpies' matchday squad for another few weeks.

Wilson last featured, competitively, for Newcastle on the final day win at Brentford back in May, playing just nine minutes. In truth, he has suffered not just a frustrating time since then, but a torrid last 12 months on the whole.

At the beginning of November 2023, Wilson started a 1-0 win over Arsenal at St James' Park before missing the next four Premier League clashes with his second hamstring injury of the campaign. Newcastle's No 9 would return for the next three top flight showdowns before again being sidelined, this time with a calf problem.

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That particular issue meant absences in three more Premier League ties and cup wins over Sunderland and Fulham at the beginning of the year; at a time Newcastle had limited options in a number of positions. Wilson would return for two games against Luton and Nottingham Forest before another issue, this time a freak pectoral injury, saw Eddie Howe without the veteran hitman for 10 matches towards the business end of the campaign.

Wilson's recent, and dated, injury issues have been public knowledge for some time. Throughout his career the 32-year-old has struggled to stay fit for prolonged periods of time but always managed to hit the ground running upon returning to the front line, ensuring those pesky injury problems could be excused somewhat.

Maybe this is why Howe decided against signing a ready made, first-team striker in the summer window. William Osula arrived on Tyneside to help in that particular position but the Newcastle boss has been incredibly up front with his belief that the 21-year-old is not yet ready to be Alexander Isak's backup in the top flight given his relative inexperience.

That was the gamble Howe, and the club's board took during the most recent transfer window. Now, as attention turns to January, Newcastle must rectify this problem by ensuring another attacking outlet - one deemed ready for Premier League football - is signed.

There has been plenty of chatter as to whether it is time to bid farewell to Wilson, one of United's most potent and well-liked forwards of recent times - and many are likely coming around to that eventuality in the winter window. Howe, who has backed the striker at every turn, isn't likely to be as set on that particular course of action.

It matters little, in truth. Whether Wilson stays or goes, it's time to bring in a dependable option who can really rival Isak - and fill in for the Swede when he too struggles with injuries, as he has in recent months.

After the purchase of Osula in August, it was clear Newcastle were not contemplating the arrival of another centre-forward. Instead, attention was directed to recruiting a new central defender and finding a right-wing option to nail down a starting spot in Howe's starting XI.

Those particular issues haven't gone away and the aforementioned positions are certainly still two Newcastle must look to improve in - but Wilson's latest setback is yet another reminder of how unreliable his body has become in the last 12 months - and how little Newcastle have in attack when he misses out.

The Magpies attacker will hopefully have a part to play as we head into the festive period at St James' Park - and he will need a storming return to action to prove he can be the man to play backup to Isak in the coming months.

Even if that plan comes to fruition before January rolls around, Newcastle must go out and find their long-term competitor for Isak, who can do battle with the No 14 long into the future.